Tobacco Inbred and Hybrid Plants and Tobacco Products Made Thereof

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure provides tobacco inbred plants NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, and hybrids NC 5 SRC and NC 8 SRC. The present disclosure also provides parts of such plants and cured tobacco and tobacco products made from those parts. The present disclosure also includes progenies of the provided plants including hybrids.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S.provisional application Ser. No. 61/947,009, filed Mar. 3, 2014, U.S.provisional application Ser. No. 61/947,015, filed Mar. 3, 2014, U.S.provisional application Ser. No. 61/978,247, filed Apr. 11, 2014, andU.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/978,340, filed Apr. 11, 2014,all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

INCORPORATION OF SEQUENCE LISTING

The Sequence Listing is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety, including the file named P34125US02.txt, which is 38,159 bytesin size and was created on Feb. 23, 2015, which is likewise hereinincorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure provides tobacco inbred plants NC174 SRC, CMSNC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC, and hybrids NC 5 SRC and NC 8 SRC. The present disclosurealso provides parts of such plants and cured tobacco and tobaccoproducts made from those parts. The present disclosure also includesprogenies of the provided plants including hybrids.

BACKGROUND

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is an important commercial crop in theUnited States as well as in other countries. In tobacco plants,N-demethylation of nicotine results in nornicotine, a secondary alkaloidknown to be a precursor for formation of N-Nitrosonornicotine (“NNN”) incured leaves. NNN is an undesired component of cured leaves.

The predominant alkaloid found in commercial tobacco varieties isnicotine, typically accounting for 90-95% of the total alkaloid pool.The remaining alkaloid fraction is comprised primarily of threeadditional pyridine alkaloids: nornicotine, anabasine, and anatabine.Nornicotine is generated directly from nicotine through the activity ofthe enzyme nicotine N-demethylase. Nornicotine usually represents lessthan 5% of the total pyridine alkaloid pool, but through a processtermed “conversion,” tobacco plants that initially produce very lowamounts of nornicotine give rise to progeny that metabolically “convert”a large percentage of leaf nicotine to nornicotine. In tobacco plantsthat have genetically converted (termed “converters”), the greatmajority of nornicotine production occurs during the senescence andcuring of the mature leaf (Wernsman and Matzinger (1968), Tob. Sci.,12:226-228). Burley tobaccos are particularly prone to geneticconversion, with rates as high as 20% per generation observed in somecultivars.

During the curing and processing of the tobacco leaf, a portion of thenornicotine is metabolized to the compound NNN, a tobacco-specificnitrosamine (TSNA) that has been asserted to be carcinogenic inlaboratory animals (Hecht and Hoffmann (1990), Cancer Surveys,8:273-294; Hoffmann et al. (1994), J. Toxicol. Environ. Health, 41:1-52;Hecht (1998), Chem. Res. Toxicol., 11:559-603). In flue-cured tobaccos,TSNAs are found to be predominantly formed through the reaction ofalkaloids with the minute amounts of nitrogen oxides present incombustion gases formed by the direct-fired heating systems found intraditional curing barns (Peele and Gentry (1999), “Formation ofTobacco-specific Nitrosamines in Flue-cured Tobacco,” CORESTA Meeting,Agro-Phyto Groups, Suzhou, China). Retrofitting these curing barns withheat-exchangers virtually eliminated the mixing of combustion gases withthe curing air and dramatically reduced the formation of TSNAs intobaccos cured in this manner (Boyette and Hamm (2001), Rec. Adv. Tob.Sci., 27:17-22.). In contrast, in the air-cured Burley tobaccos, TSNAformation proceeds primarily through reaction of tobacco alkaloids withnitrite, a process catalyzed by leaf-borne microbes (Bush et al. (2001),Rec. Adv. Tob. Sci., 27:23-46). Thus far, attempts to reduce TSNAsthrough modification of curing conditions while maintaining acceptablequality standards have not proven to be successful for the air-curedtobaccos.

SUMMARY

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a seed of tobacco cultivarNC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121048.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco plant, orpart thereof, produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC174SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf,or part thereof, of a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced bygrowing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121048.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, or partthereof, of a tobacco plant, produced by growing the seed of tobaccocultivar NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar havingbeen deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, wherethe leaf has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, or partthereof, produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, where the leaf has areduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), wherethe reduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) isreduced in a smoke stream produced from the leaf.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121048, where the product is selected from the group consisting ofpipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarette tobacco, chewing tobacco, leaftobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco, and any combination thereof.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121048, where the product is selected from the group consisting of acigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a vented recessfilter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121048, where the product is selected from the group consisting of acigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a vented recessfilter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco, and where theproduct has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine(NNN).

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a second tobaccoproduct prepared or produced from a first tobacco product prepared froma tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seed oftobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048,where first product is selected from the group consisting of pipetobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarette tobacco, chewing tobacco, leaftobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco and any combination thereof, andthe second tobacco product is selected from the group consisting of acigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a vented recessfilter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco. In some aspects,the first and/or second product comprises a reduced amount ofnornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a part of a tobacco plant,produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, where the part is selectedfrom the group consisting of leaf, pollen, ovule, embryo, cotyledon,hypocotyl, meristematic cell, protoplast, root, root tip, pistil,anther, flower, shoot, stem, pod and petiole.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a tissue cultureproduced from a protoplast or cell from a tobacco plant, or partthereof, produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, where the cell orprotoplast of the tissue culture is produced from a plant part selectedfrom the group consisting of a leaf, pollen, embryo, cotyledon,hypocotyl, meristematic cell, root, root tip, pistil, anther, flower,shoot, stem, pod, and petiole.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco plantregenerated from a tissue culture produced from a protoplast or cellfrom a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seed oftobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048,where the cell or protoplast of the tissue culture is produced from aplant part selected from the group consisting of a leaf, pollen, embryo,cotyledon, hypocotyl, meristematic cell, root, root tip, pistil, anther,flower, shoot, stem, pod, and petiole where the regenerated plant hasall, or essentially all of the morphological and physiologicalcharacteristics of cultivar NC174 SRC.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plant oftobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plantof tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121048, where the F₁ plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny seedproduced crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultanttobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is a tobacco plantproduced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, where at least one tobaccoplant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, where theplant of tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC is the male parent.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, where theplant of tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC is the female parent.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, where atleast one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure also includes a container of F₁progeny seeds produced by crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is a tobaccoplant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, where at least one tobaccoplant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plantproduced by growing a seed produced by crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, and whereat least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure also includes a harvested leaf ofan F₁ progeny plant produced by growing a seed produced by a method ofcomprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultanttobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is a tobacco plantproduced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, where at least one tobaccoplant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In another aspect, the present disclosure further includes a harvestedleaf of an F₁ progeny plant having a reduced amount of nornicotineand/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) produced by growing a seed producedby a method of comprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is a tobaccoplant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, where at least one tobaccoplant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure also includes a harvested leaf ofan F₁ progeny plant having a reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in a smoke stream produced from the leaf,where the plant is produced by growing a seed produced by crossing twotobacco plants and harvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at leastone tobacco plant is a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed oftobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048,where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product preparedfrom an F₁ progeny tobacco plant, or part thereof, where the plant orpart thereof is produced by growing a F₁ progeny seed produced by amethod comprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is produced bygrowing a seed of tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121048, where at least one tobacco plant iscytoplasmic male sterile, and where the tobacco product is selected fromthe group consisting of pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarette tobacco,chewing tobacco, leaf tobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco and anycombination thereof.

In an aspect, the present disclosure further includes a tobacco productprepared from an F₁ progeny tobacco plant, or part thereof, where theplant or part thereof is produced by growing a F₁ progeny seed producedby a method comprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is produced bygrowing a seed of tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121048, where at least one tobacco plant iscytoplasmic male sterile, and where the tobacco product is selected fromthe group consisting of a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filtercigarette, a vented recess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewingtobacco.

In an aspect, the present disclosure further includes a tobacco productprepared from an F₁ progeny tobacco plant, or part thereof, where theplant or part thereof is produced by growing a F₁ progeny seed producedby a method comprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is produced bygrowing a seed of tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121048, where at least one tobacco plant iscytoplasmic male sterile, and where the tobacco product is selected fromthe group consisting of a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filtercigarette, a vented recess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewingtobacco, and further where the product has a reduced amount ofnornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In an aspect, the present disclosure further includes a method ofproducing a tobacco product, comprising: (a) providing cured tobaccofrom a tobacco plant, or part thereof, of a hybrid, a cultivar, or ahybrid produced from said cultivar; wherein said hybrid is NC 5 SRC orNC 8 SRC, wherein said cultivar is selected from the group consisting ofNC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, and NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC; and wherein representative sampleseeds of said NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC,CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC 5 SRC and NC 8 SRC havebeen deposited with the ATCC with the following ATCC Accession Nos.:PTA-121048 for NC174 SRC, PTA-121069 for CMS NC174 SRC, and PTA-121050for NC821-11 SRC, PTA-121046 for NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, PTA-121071 for CMSNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, PTA-121056 for NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, PTA-121057 for NC 5SRC and PTA-121047 for NC 8 SRC; and (b) preparing a tobacco productfrom said cured tobacco.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a seed of tobaccocultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco plant, or partthereof, produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC,a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, orpart thereof, of a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growingthe seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seedof the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121069.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, or partthereof, of a tobacco plant, produced by growing the seed of tobaccocultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069,where the leaf has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, orpart thereof, produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC174SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, where the leaf has areduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), wherethe reduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) isreduced in a smoke stream produced from the leaf.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121069, where the product is selected from the group consistingof pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarette tobacco, chewing tobacco, leaftobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco, and any combination thereof.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121069, where the product is selected from the group consistingof a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a ventedrecess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121069, where the product is selected from the group consistingof a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a ventedrecess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco where theproduct has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine(NNN).

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a second tobaccoproduct prepared or produced from a first tobacco product prepared froma tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seed oftobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121069, where first product is selected from the group consisting ofpipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarette tobacco, chewing tobacco, leaftobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco and any combination thereof, andthe second tobacco product is selected from the group consisting of acigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a vented recessfilter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco. In some aspects,the first and/or second product comprises a reduced amount ofnornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a part of a tobacco plant,produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, where the part is selectedfrom the group consisting of leaf, pollen, ovule, embryo, cotyledon,hypocotyl, meristematic cell, protoplast, root, root tip, pistil,anther, flower, shoot, stem, pod, and petiole.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a tissue cultureproduced from a protoplast or cell from a tobacco plant, or partthereof, produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC,a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, where the cell orprotoplast of the tissue culture is produced from a plant part selectedfrom the group consisting of a leaf, pollen, embryo, cotyledon,hypocotyl, meristematic cell, root, root tip, pistil, anther, flower,shoot, stem, pod, and petiole.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco plantregenerated from a tissue culture produced from a protoplast or cellfrom a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seed oftobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121069, where the cell or protoplast of the tissue culture isproduced from a plant part selected from the group consisting of a leaf,pollen, embryo, cotyledon, hypocotyl, meristematic cell, root, root tip,pistil, anther, flower, shoot, stem, pod, and petiole where theregenerated plant has all, or essentially all of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of cultivar CMS NC174 SRC.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plant oftobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121069.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plantof tobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121069, where the F₁ plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny seedproduced by crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultanttobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic malesterile (CMS), where the cytoplasmic male sterile plant is a plant oftobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121069.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMSNC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMSNC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, where theplant of tobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC is the female parent.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS), where the cytoplasmic male sterileplant is a plant of tobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representativesample seed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC underATCC Accession No. PTA-121069.

In an aspect, the present disclosure also includes a container of F₁progeny seeds produced by crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmicmale sterile (CMS), where the cytoplasmic male sterile plant is atobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC174SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plantproduced by growing a seed produced by crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS), where the cytoplasmic male sterileplant is a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobaccocultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069.

In an aspect, the present disclosure also includes a harvested leaf ofan F₁ progeny plant produced by growing a seed produced by crossing twotobacco plants and harvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at leastone tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS), where thecytoplasmic male sterile plant is a tobacco plant produced by growingthe seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seedof the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121069.

In another aspect, the present disclosure further includes a harvestedleaf of an F₁ progeny plant having a reduced amount of nornicotineand/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) produced by growing a seed producedby crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultant tobaccoseed, where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile(CMS), where the cytoplasmic male sterile plant is a tobacco plantproduced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069.

In an aspect, the present disclosure also includes a harvested leaf ofan F₁ progeny plant having a reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in a smoke stream produced from the leaf,where the plant is produced by growing a seed produced by a method ofcomprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultanttobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic malesterile (CMS), where the cytoplasmic male sterile plant is a tobaccoplant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product preparedfrom an F₁ progeny tobacco plant, or part thereof, where the plant orpart thereof is produced by growing a F₁ progeny seed produced bycrossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultant tobacco seed,where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS),where the cytoplasmic male sterile plant is a tobacco plant produced bygrowing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representativesample seed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC underATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, and where the tobacco product is selectedfrom the group consisting of pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarettetobacco, chewing tobacco, leaf tobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco,and any combination thereof.

In an aspect, the present disclosure further includes a tobacco productprepared from an F₁ progeny tobacco plant, or part thereof, where theplant or part thereof is produced by growing a F₁ progeny seed producedby crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultant tobaccoseed, where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile(CMS), where the cytoplasmic male sterile plant is a tobacco plantproduced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, and where the tobaccoproduct is selected from the group consisting of a cigarillo, anon-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a vented recess filtercigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco.

In an aspect, the present disclosure further includes a tobacco productprepared from an F₁ progeny tobacco plant, or part thereof, where theplant or part thereof is produced by growing a F₁ progeny seed producedby crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultant tobaccoseed, where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile(CMS), where the cytoplasmic male sterile plant is a tobacco plantproduced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, and where the tobaccoproduct is selected from the group consisting of a cigarillo, anon-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a vented recess filtercigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco, and further where theproduct has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine(NNN).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for producing atobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmicmale sterile, where the cytoplasmic male sterile plant is a plant oftobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121069.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a seed of tobaccocultivar NC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco plant, or partthereof, produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC,a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, orpart thereof, of a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growingthe seed of tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seedof the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121050.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, or partthereof, of a tobacco plant, produced by growing the seed of tobaccocultivar NC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050,where the leaf has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, orpart thereof, produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC821-11SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, where the leaf has areduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), wherethe reduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) isreduced in a smoke stream produced from the leaf.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121050, where the product is selected from the group consistingof pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarette tobacco, chewing tobacco, leaftobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco, and any combination thereof.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121050, where the product is selected from the group consistingof a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a ventedrecess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121050, where the product is selected from the group consistingof a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a ventedrecess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco where theproduct has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine(NNN).

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a second tobaccoproduct prepared or produced from a first tobacco product prepared froma tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seed oftobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121050, where first product is selected from the group consisting ofpipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarette tobacco, chewing tobacco, leaftobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco and any combination thereof, andthe second tobacco product is selected from the group consisting of acigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a vented recessfilter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco. In some aspects,the first and/or second product comprises a reduced amount ofnornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a part of a tobacco plant,produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, where the part is selectedfrom the group consisting of leaf, pollen, ovule, embryo, cotyledon,hypocotyl, meristematic cell, protoplast, root, root tip, pistil,anther, flower, shoot, stem, pod, and petiole.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a tissue cultureproduced from a protoplast or cell from a tobacco plant, or partthereof, produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC,a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, where the cell orprotoplast of the tissue culture is produced from a plant part selectedfrom the group consisting of a leaf, pollen, embryo, cotyledon,hypocotyl, meristematic cell, root, root tip, pistil, anther, flower,shoot, stem, pod, and petiole.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco plantregenerated from a tissue culture produced from a protoplast or cellfrom a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seed oftobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121050, where the cell or protoplast of the tissue culture isproduced from a plant part selected from the group consisting of a leaf,pollen, embryo, cotyledon, hypocotyl, meristematic cell, root, root tip,pistil, anther, flower, shoot, stem, pod, and petiole, where theregenerated plant has all, or essentially all of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of cultivar NC821-11 SRC.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plant oftobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121050.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plantof tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121050, where the F₁ plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, where theplant of tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC is the male parent.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, where theplant of tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC is the female parent.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, where atleast one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny seedproduced by crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultanttobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is a tobacco plantproduced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, where at least one tobaccoplant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure also includes a container of F₁progeny seeds produced by crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is a tobaccoplant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, where at least one tobaccoplant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plantproduced by growing a seed produced by crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, and whereat least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure also includes a harvested leaf ofan F₁ progeny plant produced by growing a seed produced by a method ofcomprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultanttobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is a tobacco plantproduced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, where at least one tobaccoplant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In another aspect, the present disclosure further includes a harvestedleaf of an F₁ progeny plant having a reduced amount of nornicotineand/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) produced by growing a seed producedby a method of comprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is a tobaccoplant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, where at least one tobaccoplant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure also includes a harvested leaf ofan F₁ progeny plant having a reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in a smoke stream produced from the leaf,where the plant is produced by growing a seed produced by crossing twotobacco plants and harvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at leastone tobacco plant is a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed oftobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121050, where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile(CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product preparedfrom an F₁ progeny tobacco plant, or part thereof, where the plant orpart thereof is produced by growing a F₁ progeny seed produced by amethod comprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is produced bygrowing a seed of tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121050, where at least one tobacco plant iscytoplasmic male sterile, and where the tobacco product is selected fromthe group consisting of pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarette tobacco,chewing tobacco, leaf tobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco, and anycombination thereof.

In an aspect, the present disclosure further includes a tobacco productprepared from an F₁ progeny tobacco plant, or part thereof, where theplant or part thereof is produced by growing a F₁ progeny seed producedby a method comprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is produced bygrowing a seed of tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121050, where at least one tobacco plant iscytoplasmic male sterile, and where the tobacco product is selected fromthe group consisting of a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filtercigarette, a vented recess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewingtobacco.

In an aspect, the present disclosure further includes a tobacco productprepared from an F₁ progeny tobacco plant, or part thereof, where theplant or part thereof is produced by growing a F₁ progeny seed producedby a method comprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is produced bygrowing a seed of tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121050, where at least one tobacco plant iscytoplasmic male sterile, and where the tobacco product is selected fromthe group consisting of a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filtercigarette, a vented recess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewingtobacco, and further where the product has a reduced amount ofnornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a seed of hybridtobacco cultivar NC 5 SRC (ATCC Accession No. PTA-121057). Seeds ofhybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC are obtainable by crossing plants of cultivarsNC821-11 SRC and CMS NC174 SRC and collecting the seeds.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco plant, or partthereof, produced by growing a seed of hybrid tobacco cultivar NC 5 SRC.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf,or part thereof, of a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed ofhybrid tobacco cultivar NC 5 SRC.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, orpart thereof, of a tobacco plant, produced by growing the seed of hybridtobacco cultivar NC 5 SRC, where the leaf has a reduced amount ofnornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, or partthereof, produced by growing the seed of hybrid tobacco cultivar NC 5SRC, where the leaf has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), where the reduced amount of nornicotineand/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) is reduced in a smoke stream producedfrom the leaf.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of hybrid tobacco cultivar NC 5 SRC, where the product is selectedfrom the group consisting of pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarettetobacco, chewing tobacco, leaf tobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco,and any combination thereof.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of hybrid tobacco cultivar NC 5 SRC, where the product is selectedfrom the group consisting of a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filtercigarette, a vented recess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewingtobacco.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of hybrid tobacco cultivar NC 5 SRC, where the product is selectedfrom the group consisting of a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filtercigarette, a vented recess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewingtobacco where the product has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a second tobaccoproduct prepared or produced from a first tobacco product prepared froma tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seed oftobacco cultivar NC 5 SRC, where the first tobacco product is selectedfrom the group consisting of pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarettetobacco, chewing tobacco, leaf tobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobaccoand any combination thereof, and the second tobacco product is selectedfrom the group consisting of a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filtercigarette, a vented recess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewingtobacco. In some aspects, the first and/or second product comprises areduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a part of a tobacco plant,produced by growing a seed of hybrid tobacco cultivar NC 5 SRC, wherethe part is selected from the group consisting of leaf, pollen, ovule,embryo, cotyledon, hypocotyl, meristematic cell, protoplast, root, roottip, pistil, anther, flower, shoot, stem, pod, and petiole.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a tissue cultureproduced from a protoplast or cell from a tobacco plant, or partthereof, produced by growing the seed of hybrid tobacco cultivar NC 5SRC, where the cell or protoplast of the tissue culture is produced froma plant part selected from the group consisting of a leaf, pollen,embryo, cotyledon, hypocotyl, meristematic cell, root, root tip, pistil,anther, flower, shoot, stem, pod, and petiole.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco plantregenerated from a tissue culture produced from a protoplast or cellfrom a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seed ofhybrid tobacco cultivar NC 5 SRC, where the cell or protoplast of thetissue culture can be produced from a plant part selected from the groupconsisting of a leaf, pollen, embryo, cotyledon, hypocotyl, meristematiccell, root, root tip, pistil, anther, flower, shoot, stem, pod, andpetiole, where the regenerated plant has all, or essentially all, of themorphological and physiological characteristics of hybrid cultivar NC 5SRC.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plant ofhybrid tobacco cultivar NC 5 SRC.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plant ofhybrid tobacco cultivar NC 5 SRC, where the plant of tobacco cultivar NC5 SRC is the female parent.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plantof hybrid tobacco cultivar NC 5 SRC where the F₁ plant is cytoplasmicmale sterile (CMS).

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed of NC 5 SRC comprising crossing two tobaccoplants and harvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where one tobaccoplant is a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobaccocultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed of NC 5 SRC comprising crossing two tobaccoplants and harvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where one tobaccoplant is a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobaccocultivar NC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed of NC 5 SRC comprising crossing two tobaccoplants and harvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where one tobaccoplant is a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobaccocultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069and a second tobacco plant is a tobacco plant produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121050.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of vegetativelypropagating a plant of a tobacco cultivar comprising the steps of (a)collecting tissue capable of being propagated from a plant of a tobaccocultivar selected from the group consisting of NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, CMS NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, NC821-11 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, and hybrid cultivar NC 5SRC; (b) cultivating the tissue to obtain a proliferated shoot; and (c)rooting the proliferated shoots to obtain a rooted plantlet.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of vegetativelypropagating a plant of a tobacco cultivar comprising the steps of (a)collecting tissue capable of being propagated from a plant of a tobaccocultivar selected from the group consisting of NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, CMS NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, NC821-11 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, and hybrid cultivar NC 5SRC; (b) cultivating the tissue to obtain a proliferated shoot; (c)rooting the proliferated shoots to obtain a rooted plantlet; and (d)growing a plant from the rooted plantlet.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of introducing adesired trait into a tobacco cultivar comprising: (a) crossing a plantof a first tobacco cultivar selected from the group consisting of NC174SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, CMS NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, and NC821-11 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, with a second tobaccoplant that comprises a desired trait to produce an F₁ progeny seed; (b)growing the F₁ progeny seed and selecting an F₁ progeny plant thatcomprises the desired trait; (c) crossing the selected F₁ progeny plantwith a plant of said first tobacco cultivar to produce a backcross BC₁F₁progeny seed; (d) growing the BC₁F₁ progeny seed and selecting abackcross BC₁F₁ progeny plant comprising the desired trait andessentially all of the physiological and morphological characteristicsof said first tobacco cultivar, NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, or NC821-11SRC; and e) repeating steps (c) and (d) three or more times (e.g., 3, 4,5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and the like) in succession to produce selectedfourth or higher backcross progeny that comprise the desired trait. Inadditional aspects, steps (c) and (d) can be repeated one or more times(e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and the like) in succession toproduce second or higher backcross progeny comprising the desired trait.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of introducing adesired trait into a tobacco cultivar comprising: (a) crossing a plantof a first tobacco cultivar selected from the group consisting of NC174SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, CMS NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, and NC821-11 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, with a second tobaccoplant that comprises a desired trait to produce an F₁ progeny seed; (b)growing the F₁ progeny seed and selecting an F₁ progeny plant thatcomprises the desired trait; (c) crossing the selected F₁ progeny plantwith a plant of said first tobacco cultivar to produce a backcross BC₁F₁progeny seed; (d) growing the BC₁F₁ progeny seed and selecting abackcross BC₁F₁ progeny plant comprising the desired trait andessentially all of the physiological and morphological characteristicsof the first tobacco cultivar, NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, or NC821-11SRC; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) three or more times insuccession to produce selected fourth or higher backcross progeny thatcomprise the desired trait, where the trait is cytoplasmic malesterility (CMS). In additional aspects, steps (c) and (d) can berepeated one or more times in succession to produce second or higherbackcross progeny comprising the desired trait, where the trait is CMS.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of introducing adesired trait into a tobacco cultivar comprising: (a) crossing a plantof a first tobacco cultivar selected from the group consisting of NC174SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048 and NC821-11 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, with a second tobaccoplant that comprises a desired trait to produce an F₁ progeny seed; (b)growing the F₁ progeny seed and selecting an F₁ progeny plant thatcomprises the desired trait; (c) crossing the selected F₁ progeny plantwith a plant of the first tobacco cultivar to produce a backcross BC₁F₁progeny seed; (d) growing the BC₁F₁ progeny seed and selecting abackcross BC₁F₁ progeny plant comprising the desired trait and thephysiological and essentially all of morphological characteristics ofthe first tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC or NC821-11 SRC; and (e) repeatingsteps (c) and (d) three or more times in succession to produce selectedfourth or higher backcross progeny that comprise the desired trait,where the trait is cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) and the CMS trait isobtained from the cytoplasm of Nicotiana suaveolens or Nicotiana glauca.In additional aspects, steps (c) and (d) can be repeated one or moretimes in succession to produce second or higher backcross progenycomprising the desired trait, where the trait is CMS and the CMS traitis obtained from the cytoplasm of Nicotiana suaveolens or Nicotianaglauca.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of introducing adesired trait into a tobacco cultivar comprising: (a) crossing a plantof a first tobacco cultivar selected from the group consisting of NC174SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048 and NC821-11 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050 with a second tobacco plantthat comprises a desired trait to produce an F₁ progeny seed; (b)growing the F₁ progeny seed and selecting an F₁ progeny plant thatcomprises the desired trait; (c) crossing the selected F₁ progeny plantwith a plant of said first tobacco cultivar to produce a backcross BC₁F₁progeny seed; (d) growing the BC₁F₁ progeny seed and selecting abackcross BC₁F₁ progeny plant comprising the desired trait andessentially all of the physiological and morphological characteristicsof the first tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC or NC821-11 SRC; and (e)repeating steps (c) and (d) three or more times in succession to produceselected fourth or higher backcross progeny that comprise the desiredtrait, where the trait is cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) and the CMStrait is obtained from the cytoplasm of Nicotiana suaveolens, and wherethe second tobacco plant is selected from the group consisting of CMSNC174 SRC or CMS NC821-11 SRC. In additional aspects, steps (c) and (d)can be repeated one or more times in succession to produce second orhigher backcross progeny comprising the CMS trait obtained from thecytoplasm of Nicotiana suaveolens, and where the second tobacco plant isselected from the group consisting of CMS NC174 SRC or CMS NC821-11 SRC.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco plant producedby a method comprising introducing a desired trait into a tobaccocultivar comprising: (a) crossing a plant of a first tobacco cultivarselected from the group consisting of NC174 SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121048, CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121069, and NC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121050, with a second tobacco plant that comprises a desired traitto produce an F₁ progeny seed; (b) growing the F₁ progeny seed andselecting an F₁ progeny plant that comprises the desired trait; (c)crossing the selected F₁ progeny plant with a plant of said firsttobacco cultivar to produce a backcross BC₁F₁ progeny seed; (d) growingthe BC₁F₁ progeny seed and selecting a backcross BC₁F₁ progeny plantcomprising the desired trait and essentially all of the physiologicaland morphological characteristics of the first tobacco cultivar NC174SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, or NC821-11 SRC; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d)three or more times in succession to produce selected fourth or higherbackcross progeny that comprise the desired trait. In additionalaspects, steps (c) and (d) can be repeated one or more times insuccession to produce second or higher backcross progeny comprising thedesired trait.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method ofintroducing a desired trait into a tobacco cultivar comprising: (a)crossing a plant of a first tobacco cultivar selected from the groupconsisting of NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048,CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, andNC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, with aplant of a second tobacco cultivar that comprises a desired trait toproduce a progeny plant where the desired trait is selected from thegroup consisting of herbicide resistance, pest resistance, diseaseresistance, high yield, high grade index, curability, curing quality,mechanical harvestability, holding ability, leaf quality, height, plantmaturation, early maturing, early to medium maturing, medium maturing,medium to late maturing, late maturing, small stalk, medium stalk, largestalk, leaf number per plant, 5-10 leaves per plant, 11-15 leaves perplant, 16-21 leaves per plant, and any combination thereof, to producean F₁ progeny seed; (b) growing the F₁ progeny seed into an F₁ progenyplant and selecting the F₁ progeny plant having the desired trait; (c)crossing the selected F₁ progeny plant with a plant of said firsttobacco cultivar, to produce a backcross progeny plant seed; (d) growingthe backcross progeny plant seed into a backcross progeny plant andselecting the backcross progeny plant comprising the desired trait andessentially all of the physiological and morphological characteristicsof the first tobacco cultivar, NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, or NC821-11SRC; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) one or more times in successionto produce a selected second, third, fourth or higher backcross progenyplant that comprises the desired trait and essentially all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of the first tobaccocultivar, NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, or NC821-11 SRC.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method ofintroducing a desired trait into a tobacco cultivar comprising: (a)crossing a plant of a first tobacco cultivar selected from the groupconsisting of NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048,CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, andNC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, with aplant of a second tobacco cultivar that comprises a desired trait toproduce a progeny plant where the desired trait is selected from thegroup consisting of herbicide resistance, pest resistance, diseaseresistance, high yield, high grade index, curability, curing quality,mechanical harvestability, holding ability, leaf quality, height, plantmaturation, early maturing, early to medium maturing, medium maturing,medium to late maturing, late maturing, small stalk, medium stalk, largestalk, leaf number per plant, 5-10 leaves per plant, 11-15 leaves perplant, 16-21 leaves per plant, and any combination thereof, to producean F₁ progeny seed; (b) growing the F₁ progeny seed into an F₁ progenyplant and selecting the F₁ progeny plant having the desired trait; (c)crossing the selected F₁ progeny plant with a plant of said firsttobacco cultivar to produce a backcross progeny plant seed; (d) growingthe backcross progeny plant seed into a backcross progeny plant andselecting the backcross progeny plant comprising the desired trait andessentially all of the physiological and morphological characteristicsof said first tobacco cultivar, NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, or NC821-11SRC; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) one or more times in successionto produce a selected second, third, fourth or higher backcross progenyplant that comprises the desired trait and essentially all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of the first tobaccocultivar, NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, or NC821-11 SRC.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method ofintroducing a desired trait into a tobacco cultivar comprising: (a)crossing a plant of a first tobacco cultivar selected from the groupconsisting of NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048,CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, andNC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, with aplant of a second tobacco cultivar that comprises a desired trait toproduce a progeny plant where the desired trait is selected from thegroup consisting of herbicide resistance, pest resistance, diseaseresistance, high yield, high grade index, curability, curing quality,mechanical harvestability, holding ability, leaf quality, height, plantmaturation, early maturing, early to medium maturing, medium maturing,medium to late maturing, late maturing, small stalk, medium stalk, largestalk, leaf number per plant, 5-10 leaves per plant, 11-15 leaves perplant, 16-21 leaves per plant, and any combination thereof, to producean F₁ progeny seed; (b) growing the F₁ progeny seed into an F₁ progenyplant and selecting the F₁ progeny plant having the desired trait; (c)crossing the selected F₁ progeny plant with a plant of said firsttobacco cultivar to produce a backcross progeny plant seed; (d) growingthe backcross progeny plant seed into a backcross progeny plant andselecting the backcross progeny plant comprising the desired trait andessentially all of the physiological and morphological characteristicsof the first tobacco cultivar, NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, or NC821-11SRC; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) one or more times in successionto produce a selected second, third, fourth or higher backcross progenyplant that comprises the desired trait and essentially all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of said first tobaccocultivar, NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, or NC821-11 SRC, where the desiredtrait is disease resistance.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco plant having decreased nicotine conversioncomprising: identifying a first tobacco plant comprising a nucleotidesequence selected from the group consisting of the nucleotide sequenceof SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 11, and any combinationthereof; crossing the first tobacco plant with a second tobacco plantand collecting an F₁ seed; crossing a plant grown from the F₁ seed to athird tobacco plant and collecting a second tobacco seed; andidentifying a second tobacco seed or a plant grown from the second seedthat is homozygous for the nucleotide sequence selected from the groupconsisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQID NO: 11, and any combination thereof.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for producing atobacco plant having decreased nicotine conversion comprising:identifying a first tobacco plant comprising a nucleotide sequenceselected from the group consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ IDNO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 11, and any combination thereof;crossing the first tobacco plant with a second tobacco plant andcollecting an F₁ seed; crossing a plant grown from the F₁ seed to athird tobacco plant and collecting a second tobacco seed; andidentifying a second tobacco seed or a plant grown from the second seedthat is homozygous for the nucleotide sequence selected from the groupconsisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQID NO: 11, and any combination thereof, where the second tobacco plantcomprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting ofthe nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 11,and any combination thereof.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for producing atobacco plant having decreased nicotine conversion comprising:identifying a first tobacco plant comprising a nucleotide sequenceselected from the group consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ IDNO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 11, and any combination thereof;crossing the first tobacco plant with a second tobacco plant andcollecting an F₁ seed; crossing a plant grown from the F₁ seed to athird tobacco plant and collecting a second tobacco seed; andidentifying a second tobacco seed or a plant grown from the second seedthat is homozygous for the nucleotide sequence selected from the groupconsisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQID NO: 11, and any combination thereof, where the second tobacco plantdoes not have the nucleotide sequence selected from the group consistingof the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 11,and any combination thereof, and the third tobacco plant is a tobaccoplant comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the groupconsisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQID NO: 11, and any combination thereof.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for producing atobacco plant having decreased nicotine conversion comprising:identifying a first tobacco plant comprising a nucleotide sequenceselected from the group consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ IDNO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 11, and any combination thereof;crossing the first tobacco plant with a second tobacco plant andcollecting an F₁ seed; crossing a plant grown from the F₁ seed to athird tobacco plant and collecting a second tobacco seed; andidentifying a second tobacco seed or a plant grown from the second seedthat is homozygous for the nucleotide sequence selected from the groupconsisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQID NO: 11, and any combination thereof, where the first tobacco plantcomprises the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for producing atobacco plant having decreased nicotine conversion comprising:identifying a first tobacco plant comprising a nucleotide sequenceselected from the group consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ IDNO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 11, and any combination thereof;crossing the first tobacco plant with a second tobacco plant andcollecting an F₁ seed; crossing a plant grown from the F₁ seed to athird tobacco plant and collecting a second tobacco seed; andidentifying a second tobacco seed or a plant grown from the second seedthat is homozygous for the nucleotide sequence selected from the groupconsisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQID NO: 11, and any combination thereof, where the third tobacco plant isa tobacco plant comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the groupconsisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQID NO: 11, and any combination thereof.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for producing atobacco plant having decreased nicotine conversion comprising:identifying a first tobacco plant comprising a nucleotide sequenceselected from the group consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ IDNO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 11, and any combination thereof;crossing the first tobacco plant with a second tobacco plant andcollecting an F₁ seed; crossing a plant grown from the F₁ seed to athird tobacco plant and collecting a second tobacco seed; andidentifying a second tobacco seed or a plant grown from the second seedthat is homozygous for the nucleotide sequence selected from the groupconsisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQID NO: 11, and any combination thereof, where the first tobacco plant isa plant of a tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121048, tobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121069, or tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, and hybrid cultivar NC 5SRC.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for producing atobacco plant having decreased nicotine conversion comprising:identifying a first tobacco plant comprising a nucleotide sequenceselected from the group consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ IDNO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 11, and any combination thereof;crossing the first tobacco plant with a second tobacco plant andcollecting an F₁ seed; crossing a plant grown from the F₁ seed to athird tobacco plant and collecting a second tobacco seed; andidentifying a second tobacco seed or a plant grown from the second seedthat is homozygous for the nucleotide sequence selected from the groupconsisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQID NO: 11, and any combination thereof, where the third tobacco plant isa plant of tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121048, tobacco cultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121069, tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, or hybrid cultivar NC 5SRC.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of producinga plant of a tobacco cultivar selected from the group consisting ofNC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, tobaccocultivar CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069,tobacco cultivar NC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121050, and hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC comprising at least one (e.g.,1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and the like) additional desired traitcomprising the steps of: (a) collecting tissue capable of beingpropagated from a plant of a tobacco cultivar selected from the groupconsisting of NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048,CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, NC821-11SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, and hybrid cultivarNC 5 SRC; and (b) introducing a transgene (nucleic acid construct)conferring at least one desired trait into the tissue.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of producingan herbicide resistant tobacco plant comprising transforming a tobaccoplant, or part thereof, produced by growing a seed of a tobacco cultivarselected from the group consisting of tobacco cultivar NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, tobacco cultivar CMS NC174SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, tobacco cultivarNC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, and hybridcultivar NC 5 SRC with at least one transgene (nucleic acid construct),where the at least one transgene (nucleic acid construct) confersresistance to an herbicide selected from the group consisting ofimidazolinone, cyclohexanedione, sulfonylurea, glyphosate, glufosinate,phenoxy proprionic acid, L-phosphinothricin, triazine, benzonitrile andany combination thereof.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes an herbicideresistant tobacco plant produced by a method comprising transforming atobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing a seed of a tobaccocultivar selected from the group consisting of tobacco cultivar NC174SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, tobacco cultivar CMSNC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, tobaccocultivar NC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050,and hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC, with at least one transgene (nucleic acidconstruct), where the at least one transgene (nucleic acid construct)confers resistance to an herbicide selected from the group consisting ofimidazolinone, cyclohexanedione, sulfonylurea, glyphosate, glufosinate,phenoxy proprionic acid, L-phosphinothricin, triazine, benzonitrile, andany combination thereof.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of producinga pest and/or insect resistant tobacco plant where the method comprisestransforming a tobacco plant produced by growing a seed of a tobaccocultivar selected from the group consisting of NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, CMS NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, NC821-11 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, and hybrid cultivar NC 5SRC, with at least one transgene (nucleic acid construct) that conferspest and/or insect resistance.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a pest and/orinsect resistant tobacco plant produced by a method comprisingtransforming a tobacco plant produced by growing a seed of a tobaccocultivar selected from the group consisting of NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, CMS NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, NC821-11 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, and hybrid cultivar NC 5SRC with at least one transgene (nucleic acid construct) that conferspest and/or insect resistance.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a pest and/orinsect resistant tobacco plant produced by a method comprisingtransforming a tobacco plant produced by growing a seed of a tobaccocultivar selected from the group consisting of NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, CMS NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, NC821-11 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, and hybrid cultivar NC 5SRC, with at least one transgene (nucleic acid construct) that conferspest and/or insect resistance, where the transgene (nucleic acidconstruct) encodes a Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) endotoxin.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of producinga disease resistant tobacco plant, the method comprising transforming atobacco plant produced by growing a seed of a tobacco cultivar selectedfrom the group consisting of NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121048, CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121069, NC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050,and hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC with at least one transgene (nucleic acidconstruct) that confers disease resistance.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a disease resistanttobacco plant produced by transforming a tobacco plant produced bygrowing a seed of a tobacco cultivar selected from the group consistingof NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048, CMS NC174SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069, NC821-11 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050, and hybrid cultivar NC 5SRC with at least one transgene (nucleic acid construct) that confersdisease resistance.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a seed of tobacco cultivarNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar havingbeen deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) underATCC Accession No. PTA-121046.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco plant, orpart thereof, produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf,or part thereof, of a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced bygrowing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representativesample seed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC underATCC Accession No. PTA-121046.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, or partthereof, of a tobacco plant, produced by growing the seed of tobaccocultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046,where the leaf has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, or partthereof, produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/BmrSRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, where the leaf has areduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), wherethe reduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) isreduced in a smoke stream produced from the leaf.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seedof the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121046, where the product is selected from the group consistingof pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarette tobacco, chewing tobacco, leaftobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco, and any combination thereof.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seedof the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121046, where the product is selected from the group consistingof a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a ventedrecess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seedof the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121046, where the product is selected from the group consistingof a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a ventedrecess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco, and wherethe product has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a second tobaccoproduct prepared or produced from a first tobacco product prepared froma tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seed oftobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121046, where first product is selected from the group consisting ofpipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarette tobacco, chewing tobacco, leaftobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco and any combination thereof, andthe second tobacco product is selected from the group consisting of acigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a vented recessfilter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco. In some aspects,the first and/or second product comprises a reduced amount ofnornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a part of a tobacco plant,produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, where the part is selectedfrom the group consisting of leaf, pollen, ovule, embryo, cotyledon,hypocotyl, meristematic cell, protoplast, root, root tip, pistil,anther, flower, shoot, stem, pod and petiole.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a tissue cultureproduced from a protoplast or cell from a tobacco plant, or partthereof, produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/BmrSRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, where the cell orprotoplast of the tissue culture is produced from a plant part selectedfrom the group consisting of a leaf, pollen, embryo, cotyledon,hypocotyl, meristematic cell, root, root tip, pistil, anther, flower,shoot, stem, pod, and petiole.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco plantregenerated from a tissue culture produced from a protoplast or cellfrom a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seed oftobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121046, where the cell or protoplast of the tissue culture isproduced from a plant part selected from the group consisting of a leaf,pollen, embryo, cotyledon, hypocotyl, meristematic cell, root, root tip,pistil, anther, flower, shoot, stem, pod, and petiole where theregenerated plant has all, or essentially all of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plant oftobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121046.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plantof tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121046, where the F₁ plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny seedproduced crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultanttobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is a tobacco plantproduced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, where at least one tobaccoplant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar havingbeen deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar havingbeen deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, wherethe plant of tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC is the male parent.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar havingbeen deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, wherethe plant of tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC is the female parent.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar havingbeen deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, whereat least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure also includes a container of F₁progeny seeds produced by crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is a tobaccoplant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/BmrSRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, where at least onetobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plantproduced by growing a seed produced by crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar havingbeen deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, andwhere at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure also includes a harvested leaf ofan F₁ progeny plant produced by growing a seed produced by a method ofcomprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultanttobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is a tobacco plantproduced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, where at least one tobaccoplant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In another aspect, the present disclosure further includes a harvestedleaf of an F₁ progeny plant having a reduced amount of nornicotineand/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) produced by growing a seed producedby a method of comprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is a tobaccoplant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/BmrSRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, where at least onetobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure also includes a harvested leaf ofan F₁ progeny plant having a reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in a smoke stream produced from the leaf,where the plant is produced by growing a seed produced by crossing twotobacco plants and harvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at leastone tobacco plant is a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed oftobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121046, where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile(CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product preparedfrom an F₁ progeny tobacco plant, or part thereof, where the plant orpart thereof is produced by growing an F₁ progeny seed produced by amethod comprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is produced bygrowing a seed of tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representativesample seed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC underATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, where at least one tobacco plant iscytoplasmic male sterile, and where the tobacco product is selected fromthe group consisting of pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarette tobacco,chewing tobacco, leaf tobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco and anycombination thereof.

In an aspect, the present disclosure further includes a tobacco productprepared from an F₁ progeny tobacco plant, or part thereof, where theplant or part thereof is produced by growing an F₁ progeny seed producedby a method comprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is produced bygrowing a seed of tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representativesample seed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC underATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, where at least one tobacco plant iscytoplasmic male sterile, and where the tobacco product is selected fromthe group consisting of a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filtercigarette, a vented recess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewingtobacco.

In an aspect, the present disclosure further includes a tobacco productprepared from an F₁ progeny tobacco plant, or part thereof, where theplant or part thereof is produced by growing an F₁ progeny seed producedby a method comprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is produced bygrowing a seed of tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representativesample seed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC underATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, where at least one tobacco plant iscytoplasmic male sterile, and where the tobacco product is selected fromthe group consisting of a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filtercigarette, a vented recess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewingtobacco, and further where the product has a reduced amount ofnornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In an aspect, the present disclosure further includes a method ofproducing a tobacco product, comprising: (a) providing cured tobaccofrom a tobacco plant, or part thereof, of a hybrid, a cultivar, or ahybrid produced from said cultivar; wherein said hybrid is NC 5 SRC orNC 8 SRC, wherein said cultivar is selected from the group consisting ofNC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, and NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC; and (b) preparing a tobacco productfrom said cured tobacco, wherein representative sample seeds of saidNC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC 5 SRC and NC 8 SRC have beendeposited with the ATCC with the following ATCC Accession Nos.:PTA-121048 for NC174 SRC, PTA-121069 for CMS NC174 SRC, and PTA-121050for NC821-11 SRC, PTA-121046 for NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, PTA-121071 for CMSNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, PTA-121056 for NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, PTA-121057 for NC 5SRC and PTA-121047 for NC 8 SRC.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a seed of tobaccocultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121071.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco plant, or partthereof, produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, orpart thereof, of a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growingthe seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representativesample seed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC underATCC Accession No. PTA-121071.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, or partthereof, of a tobacco plant, produced by growing the seed of tobaccocultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121071, where the leaf has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, orpart thereof, produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071, where theleaf has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine(NNN), where the reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) is reduced in a smoke stream produced fromthe leaf.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121071, where the product is selected from the groupconsisting of pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarette tobacco, chewingtobacco, leaf tobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco, and anycombination thereof.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121071, where the product is selected from the groupconsisting of a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, avented recess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121071, where the product is selected from the groupconsisting of a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, avented recess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobaccowhere the product has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a second tobaccoproduct prepared or produced from a first tobacco product prepared froma tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seed oftobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121071, where first product is selected from the groupconsisting of pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarette tobacco, chewingtobacco, leaf tobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco and any combinationthereof, and the second tobacco product is selected from the groupconsisting of a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, avented recess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco. Insome aspects, the first and/or second product comprises a reduced amountof nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a part of a tobacco plant,produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC,a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071, where the part is selectedfrom the group consisting of leaf, pollen, ovule, embryo, cotyledon,hypocotyl, meristematic cell, protoplast, root, root tip, pistil,anther, flower, shoot, stem, pod, and petiole.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a tissue cultureproduced from a protoplast or cell from a tobacco plant, or partthereof, produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071, where thecell or protoplast of the tissue culture is produced from a plant partselected from the group consisting of a leaf, pollen, embryo, cotyledon,hypocotyl, meristematic cell, root, root tip, pistil, anther, flower,shoot, stem, pod, and petiole.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco plantregenerated from a tissue culture produced from a protoplast or cellfrom a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seed oftobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121071, where the cell or protoplast of the tissue culture isproduced from a plant part selected from the group consisting of a leaf,pollen, embryo, cotyledon, hypocotyl, meristematic cell, root, root tip,pistil, anther, flower, shoot, stem, pod, and petiole where theregenerated plant has all, or essentially all of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plant oftobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121071.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plantof tobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seedof the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121071, where the F₁ plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny seedproduced by crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultanttobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic malesterile (CMS), where the cytoplasmic male sterile plant is a plant oftobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121071.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMSNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar havingbeen deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMSNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar havingbeen deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071, wherethe plant of tobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC is the femaleparent.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS), where the cytoplasmic male sterileplant is a plant of tobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071.

In an aspect, the present disclosure also includes a container of F₁progeny seeds produced by crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmicmale sterile (CMS), where the cytoplasmic male sterile plant is atobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plantproduced by growing a seed produced by crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS), where the cytoplasmic male sterileplant is a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobaccocultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121071.

In an aspect, the present disclosure also includes a harvested leaf ofan F₁ progeny plant produced by growing a seed produced by crossing twotobacco plants and harvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at leastone tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS), where thecytoplasmic male sterile plant is a tobacco plant produced by growingthe seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representativesample seed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC underATCC Accession No. PTA-121071.

In another aspect, the present disclosure further includes a harvestedleaf of an F₁ progeny plant having a reduced amount of nornicotineand/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) produced by growing a seed producedby crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultant tobaccoseed, where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile(CMS), where the cytoplasmic male sterile plant is a tobacco plantproduced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC,a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071.

In an aspect, the present disclosure also includes a harvested leaf ofan F₁ progeny plant having a reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in a smoke stream produced from the leaf,where the plant is produced by growing a seed produced by a method ofcomprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultanttobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic malesterile (CMS), where the cytoplasmic male sterile plant is a tobaccoplant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/BmrSRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product preparedfrom an F₁ progeny tobacco plant, or part thereof, where the plant orpart thereof is produced by growing an F₁ progeny seed produced bycrossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultant tobacco seed,where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS),where the cytoplasmic male sterile plant is a tobacco plant produced bygrowing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071, and where the tobaccoproduct is selected from the group consisting of pipe tobacco, cigartobacco, cigarette tobacco, chewing tobacco, leaf tobacco, shreddedtobacco, cut tobacco, and any combination thereof.

In an aspect, the present disclosure further includes a tobacco productprepared from an F₁ progeny tobacco plant, or part thereof, where theplant or part thereof is produced by growing an F₁ progeny seed producedby crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultant tobaccoseed, where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile(CMS), where the cytoplasmic male sterile plant is a tobacco plantproduced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC,a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071, and where the tobaccoproduct is selected from the group consisting of a cigarillo, anon-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a vented recess filtercigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco.

In an aspect, the present disclosure further includes a tobacco productprepared from an F₁ progeny tobacco plant, or part thereof, where theplant or part thereof is produced by growing an F₁ progeny seed producedby crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultant tobaccoseed, where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile(CMS), where the cytoplasmic male sterile plant is a tobacco plantproduced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC,a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071, and where the tobaccoproduct is selected from the group consisting of a cigarillo, anon-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a vented recess filtercigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco, and further where theproduct has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine(NNN).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for producing atobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmicmale sterile, where the cytoplasmic male sterile plant is a plant oftobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121071.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a seed of tobaccocultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco plant, or partthereof, produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/BmrSRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, orpart thereof, of a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growingthe seed of tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121056.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, or partthereof, of a tobacco plant, produced by growing the seed of tobaccocultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056,where the leaf has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, orpart thereof, produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, where theleaf has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine(NNN), where the reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) is reduced in a smoke stream produced fromthe leaf.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seedof the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121056, where the product is selected from the group consistingof pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarette tobacco, chewing tobacco, leaftobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco, and any combination thereof.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seedof the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121056, where the product is selected from the group consistingof a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a ventedrecess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seedof the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121056, where the product is selected from the group consistingof a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a ventedrecess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco where theproduct has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine(NNN).

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a second tobaccoproduct prepared or produced from a first tobacco product prepared froma tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seed oftobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121056, where first product is selected from the group consisting ofpipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarette tobacco, chewing tobacco, leaftobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco and any combination thereof, andthe second tobacco product is selected from the group consisting of acigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a vented recessfilter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewing tobacco. In some aspects,the first and/or second product comprises a reduced amount ofnornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a part of a tobacco plant,produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, where the part is selectedfrom the group consisting of leaf, pollen, ovule, embryo, cotyledon,hypocotyl, meristematic cell, protoplast, root, root tip, pistil,anther, flower, shoot, stem, pod, and petiole.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a tissue cultureproduced from a protoplast or cell from a tobacco plant, or partthereof, produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/BmrSRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, where the cell orprotoplast of the tissue culture is produced from a plant part selectedfrom the group consisting of a leaf, pollen, embryo, cotyledon,hypocotyl, meristematic cell, root, root tip, pistil, anther, flower,shoot, stem, pod, and petiole.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco plantregenerated from a tissue culture produced from a protoplast or cellfrom a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seed oftobacco cultivar NC045 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121056, where the cell or protoplast of the tissue culture isproduced from a plant part selected from the group consisting of a leaf,pollen, embryo, cotyledon, hypocotyl, meristematic cell, root, root tip,pistil, anther, flower, shoot, stem, pod, and petiole, where theregenerated plant has all, or essentially all of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plant oftobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121056.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plantof tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121056, where the F₁ plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar havingbeen deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar havingbeen deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, wherethe plant of tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC is the male parent.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar havingbeen deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, wherethe plant of tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC is the female parent.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed comprising crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar havingbeen deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, whereat least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny seedproduced by crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultanttobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is a tobacco plantproduced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, where at least one tobaccoplant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure also includes a container of F₁progeny seeds produced by crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is a tobaccoplant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/BmrSRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, where at least onetobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plantproduced by growing a seed produced by crossing two tobacco plants andharvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plantis a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivarNC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar havingbeen deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, andwhere at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure also includes a harvested leaf ofan F₁ progeny plant produced by growing a seed produced by a method ofcomprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting the resultanttobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is a tobacco plantproduced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, where at least one tobaccoplant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In another aspect, the present disclosure further includes a harvestedleaf of an F₁ progeny plant having a reduced amount of nornicotineand/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) produced by growing a seed producedby a method of comprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is a tobaccoplant produced by growing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/BmrSRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, where at least onetobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure also includes a harvested leaf ofan F₁ progeny plant having a reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in a smoke stream produced from the leaf,where the plant is produced by growing a seed produced by crossing twotobacco plants and harvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where at leastone tobacco plant is a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed oftobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121056, where at least one tobacco plant is cytoplasmic male sterile(CMS).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product preparedfrom an F₁ progeny tobacco plant, or part thereof, where the plant orpart thereof is produced by growing an F₁ progeny seed produced by amethod comprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is produced bygrowing a seed of tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representativesample seed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC underATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, where at least one tobacco plant iscytoplasmic male sterile, and where the tobacco product is selected fromthe group consisting of pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarette tobacco,chewing tobacco, leaf tobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco, and anycombination thereof.

In an aspect, the present disclosure further includes a tobacco productprepared from an F₁ progeny tobacco plant, or part thereof, where theplant or part thereof is produced by growing an F₁ progeny seed producedby a method comprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is produced bygrowing a seed of tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representativesample seed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC underATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, where at least one tobacco plant iscytoplasmic male sterile, and where the tobacco product is selected fromthe group consisting of a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filtercigarette, a vented recess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewingtobacco.

In an aspect, the present disclosure further includes a tobacco productprepared from an F₁ progeny tobacco plant, or part thereof, where theplant or part thereof is produced by growing an F₁ progeny seed producedby a method comprising crossing two tobacco plants and harvesting theresultant tobacco seed, where at least one tobacco plant is produced bygrowing a seed of tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representativesample seed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC underATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, where at least one tobacco plant iscytoplasmic male sterile, and where the tobacco product is selected fromthe group consisting of a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filtercigarette, a vented recess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewingtobacco, and further where the product has a reduced amount ofnornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a seed of hybridtobacco cultivar NC 8 SRC (ATCC Accession No. PTA-121047). Seeds ofhybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC are obtainable by crossing plants of cultivarsNC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC and CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC and collecting the seeds.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco plant, or partthereof, produced by growing a seed of hybrid tobacco cultivar NC 8 SRC.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf,or part thereof, of a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed ofhybrid tobacco cultivar NC 8 SRC.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, orpart thereof, of a tobacco plant, produced by growing the seed of hybridtobacco cultivar NC 8 SRC, where the leaf has a reduced amount ofnornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a harvested leaf, or partthereof, produced by growing the seed of hybrid tobacco cultivar NC 8SRC, where the leaf has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), where the reduced amount of nornicotineand/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) is reduced in a smoke stream producedfrom the leaf.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of hybrid tobacco cultivar NC 8 SRC, where the product is selectedfrom the group consisting of pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarettetobacco, chewing tobacco, leaf tobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobacco,and any combination thereof.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of hybrid tobacco cultivar NC 8 SRC, where the product is selectedfrom the group consisting of a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filtercigarette, a vented recess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewingtobacco.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco product,prepared from a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing theseed of hybrid tobacco cultivar NC 8 SRC, where the product is selectedfrom the group consisting of a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filtercigarette, a vented recess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewingtobacco where the product has a reduced amount of nornicotine and/orN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a second tobaccoproduct prepared or produced from a first tobacco product prepared froma tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seed oftobacco cultivar NC 8 SRC, where the first tobacco product is selectedfrom the group consisting of pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarettetobacco, chewing tobacco, leaf tobacco, shredded tobacco, cut tobaccoand any combination thereof, and the second tobacco product is selectedfrom the group consisting of a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filtercigarette, a vented recess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and chewingtobacco. In some aspects, the first and/or second product comprises areduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a part of a tobacco plant,produced by growing a seed of hybrid tobacco cultivar NC 8 SRC, wherethe part is selected from the group consisting of leaf, pollen, ovule,embryo, cotyledon, hypocotyl, meristematic cell, protoplast, root, roottip, pistil, anther, flower, shoot, stem, pod, and petiole.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a tissue cultureproduced from a protoplast or cell from a tobacco plant, or partthereof, produced by growing the seed of hybrid tobacco cultivar NC 8SRC, where the cell or protoplast of the tissue culture is produced froma plant part selected from the group consisting of a leaf, pollen,embryo, cotyledon, hypocotyl, meristematic cell, root, root tip, pistil,anther, flower, shoot, stem, pod, and petiole.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco plantregenerated from a tissue culture produced from a protoplast or cellfrom a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seed ofhybrid tobacco cultivar NC 8 SRC, where the cell or protoplast of thetissue culture can be produced from a plant part selected from the groupconsisting of a leaf, pollen, embryo, cotyledon, hypocotyl, meristematiccell, root, root tip, pistil, anther, flower, shoot, stem, pod, andpetiole, where the regenerated plant has all, or essentially all, of themorphological and physiological characteristics of hybrid cultivar NC 8SRC.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plant ofhybrid tobacco cultivar NC 8 SRC.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plant ofhybrid tobacco cultivar NC 8 SRC, where the plant of tobacco cultivar NC8 SRC is the female parent.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes an F₁ progeny plantof hybrid tobacco cultivar NC 8 SRC where the F₁ plant is cytoplasmicmale sterile (CMS).

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed of NC 8 SRC comprising crossing two tobaccoplants and harvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where one tobaccoplant is a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobaccocultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121071.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed of NC 8 SRC comprising crossing two tobaccoplants and harvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where one tobaccoplant is a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobaccocultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method forproducing a tobacco seed of NC 8 SRC comprising crossing two tobaccoplants and harvesting the resultant tobacco seed, where one tobaccoplant is a tobacco plant produced by growing the seed of tobaccocultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121071 and a second tobacco plant is a tobacco plant produced bygrowing the seed of tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representativesample seed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC underATCC Accession No. PTA-121056.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of vegetativelypropagating a plant of a tobacco cultivar comprising the steps of (a)collecting tissue capable of being propagated from a plant of a tobaccocultivar selected from the group consisting of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, and hybrid cultivar NC 8SRC; (b) cultivating the tissue to obtain a proliferated shoot; and (c)rooting the proliferated shoots to obtain a rooted plantlet.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of vegetativelypropagating a plant of a tobacco cultivar comprising the steps of (a)collecting tissue capable of being propagated from a plant of a tobaccocultivar selected from the group consisting of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, and hybrid cultivar NC 8SRC; (b) cultivating the tissue to obtain a proliferated shoot; (c)rooting the proliferated shoots to obtain a rooted plantlet; and (d)growing a plant from the rooted plantlet.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of introducing adesired trait into a tobacco cultivar comprising: (a) crossing a plantof a first tobacco cultivar selected from the group consisting of NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, CMS NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071, and NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, with asecond tobacco plant that comprises a desired trait to produce an F₁progeny seed; (b) growing the F₁ progeny seed and selecting an F₁progeny plant that comprises the desired trait; (c) crossing theselected F₁ progeny plant with a plant of said first tobacco cultivar toproduce a backcross BC₁F₁ progeny seed; (d) growing the BC₁F₁ progenyseed and selecting a backcross BC₁F₁ progeny plant comprising thedesired trait and essentially all of the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of said first tobacco cultivar, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMSNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, or NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC; and e) repeating steps (c) and(d) three or more times (e.g., 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and the like) insuccession to produce selected fourth or higher backcross progeny thatcomprise the desired trait. In additional aspects, steps (c) and (d) canbe repeated one or more times (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, andthe like) in succession to produce second or higher backcross progenycomprising the desired trait.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of introducing adesired trait into a tobacco cultivar comprising: (a) crossing a plantof a first tobacco cultivar selected from the group consisting of NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, CMS NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071, and NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, with asecond tobacco plant that comprises a desired trait to produce an F₁progeny seed; (b) growing the F₁ progeny seed and selecting an F₁progeny plant that comprises the desired trait; (c) crossing theselected F₁ progeny plant with a plant of said first tobacco cultivar toproduce a backcross BC₁F₁ progeny seed; (d) growing the BC₁F₁ progenyseed and selecting a backcross BC₁F₁ progeny plant comprising thedesired trait and essentially all of the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of the first tobacco cultivar, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMSNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, or NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC; and (e) repeating steps (c) and(d) three or more times in succession to produce selected fourth orhigher backcross progeny that comprise the desired trait, where thetrait is cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS). In additional aspects, steps(c) and (d) can be repeated one or more times in succession to producesecond or higher backcross progeny comprising the desired trait, wherethe trait is CMS.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of introducing adesired trait into a tobacco cultivar comprising: (a) crossing a plantof a first tobacco cultivar selected from the group consisting of NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046 and NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, with asecond tobacco plant that comprises a desired trait to produce an F₁progeny seed; (b) growing the F₁ progeny seed and selecting an F₁progeny plant that comprises the desired trait; (c) crossing theselected F₁ progeny plant with a plant of the first tobacco cultivar toproduce a backcross BC₁F₁ progeny seed; (d) growing the BC₁F₁ progenyseed and selecting a backcross BC₁F₁ progeny plant comprising thedesired trait and the physiological and essentially all of morphologicalcharacteristics of the first tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC or NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) three or more times insuccession to produce selected fourth or higher backcross progeny thatcomprise the desired trait, where the trait is cytoplasmic malesterility (CMS) and the CMS trait is obtained from the cytoplasm ofNicotiana suaveolens or Nicotiana glauca. In additional aspects, steps(c) and (d) can be repeated one or more times in succession to producesecond or higher backcross progeny comprising the desired trait, wherethe trait is CMS and the CMS trait is obtained from the cytoplasm ofNicotiana suaveolens or Nicotiana glauca.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of introducing adesired trait into a tobacco cultivar comprising: (a) crossing a plantof a first tobacco cultivar selected from the group consisting of NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046 and NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056 with asecond tobacco plant that comprises a desired trait to produce an F₁progeny seed; (b) growing the F₁ progeny seed and selecting an F₁progeny plant that comprises the desired trait; (c) crossing theselected F₁ progeny plant with a plant of said first tobacco cultivar toproduce a backcross BC₁F₁ progeny seed; (d) growing the BC₁F₁ progenyseed and selecting a backcross BC₁F₁ progeny plant comprising thedesired trait and essentially all of the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of the first tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC or NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) three or more times insuccession to produce selected fourth or higher backcross progeny thatcomprise the desired trait, where the trait is cytoplasmic malesterility (CMS) and the CMS trait is obtained from the cytoplasm ofNicotiana suaveolens, and where the second tobacco plant is selectedfrom the group consisting of CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC or CMS NC645 Bmr/BmrSRC. In additional aspects, steps (c) and (d) can be repeated one ormore times in succession to produce second or higher backcross progenycomprising the CMS trait obtained from the cytoplasm of Nicotianasuaveolens, and where the second tobacco plant is selected from thegroup consisting of CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC or CMS NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a tobacco plant producedby a method comprising introducing a desired trait into a tobaccocultivar comprising: (a) crossing a plant of a first tobacco cultivarselected from the group consisting of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071, and NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, with a second tobaccoplant that comprises a desired trait to produce an F₁ progeny seed; (b)growing the F₁ progeny seed and selecting an F₁ progeny plant thatcomprises the desired trait; (c) crossing the selected F₁ progeny plantwith a plant of said first tobacco cultivar to produce a backcross BC₁F₁progeny seed; (d) growing the BC₁F₁ progeny seed and selecting abackcross BC₁F₁ progeny plant comprising the desired trait andessentially all of the physiological and morphological characteristicsof the first tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC,or NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) three or moretimes in succession to produce selected fourth or higher backcrossprogeny that comprise the desired trait. In additional aspects, steps(c) and (d) can be repeated one or more times in succession to producesecond or higher backcross progeny comprising the desired trait.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method ofintroducing a desired trait into a tobacco cultivar comprising: (a)crossing a plant of a first tobacco cultivar selected from the groupconsisting of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121046, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121071, and NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121056, with a plant of a second tobacco cultivar that comprises adesired trait to produce a progeny plant where the desired trait isselected from the group consisting of herbicide resistance, pestresistance, disease resistance, high yield, high grade index,curability, curing quality, mechanical harvestability, holding ability,leaf quality, height, plant maturation, early maturing, early to mediummaturing, medium maturing, medium to late maturing, late maturing, smallstalk, medium stalk, large stalk, leaf number per plant, 5-10 leaves perplant, 11-15 leaves per plant, 16-21 leaves per plant, and anycombination thereof, to produce an F₁ progeny seed; (b) growing the F₁progeny seed into an F₁ progeny plant and selecting the F₁ progeny planthaving the desired trait; (c) crossing the selected F₁ progeny plantwith a plant of said first tobacco cultivar, to produce a backcrossprogeny plant seed; (d) growing the backcross progeny plant seed into abackcross progeny plant and selecting the backcross progeny plantcomprising the desired trait and essentially all of the physiologicaland morphological characteristics of the first tobacco cultivar, NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, or NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC; and (e)repeating steps (c) and (d) one or more times in succession to produce aselected second, third, fourth or higher backcross progeny plant thatcomprises the desired trait and essentially all of the physiological andmorphological characteristics of the first tobacco cultivar, NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, or NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method ofintroducing a desired trait into a tobacco cultivar comprising: (a)crossing a plant of a first tobacco cultivar selected from the groupconsisting of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121046, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121071, and NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121056, with a plant of a second tobacco cultivar that comprises adesired trait to produce a progeny plant where the desired trait isselected from the group consisting of herbicide resistance, pestresistance, disease resistance, high yield, high grade index,curability, curing quality, mechanical harvestability, holding ability,leaf quality, height, plant maturation, early maturing, early to mediummaturing, medium maturing, medium to late maturing, late maturing, smallstalk, medium stalk, large stalk, leaf number per plant, 5-10 leaves perplant, 11-15 leaves per plant, 16-21 leaves per plant, and anycombination thereof, to produce an F₁ progeny seed; (b) growing the F₁progeny seed into an F₁ progeny plant and selecting the F₁ progeny planthaving the desired trait; (c) crossing the selected F₁ progeny plantwith a plant of said first tobacco cultivar to produce a backcrossprogeny plant seed; (d) growing the backcross progeny plant seed into abackcross progeny plant and selecting the backcross progeny plantcomprising the desired trait and essentially all of the physiologicaland morphological characteristics of said first tobacco cultivar, NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, or NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC; and (e)repeating steps (c) and (d) one or more times in succession to produce aselected second, third, fourth or higher backcross progeny plant thatcomprises the desired trait and essentially all of the physiological andmorphological characteristics of the first tobacco cultivar, NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, or NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method ofintroducing a desired trait into a tobacco cultivar comprising: (a)crossing a plant of a first tobacco cultivar selected from the groupconsisting of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121046, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121071, and NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121056, with a plant of a second tobacco cultivar that comprises adesired trait to produce a progeny plant where the desired trait isselected from the group consisting of herbicide resistance, pestresistance, disease resistance, high yield, high grade index,curability, curing quality, mechanical harvestability, holding ability,leaf quality, height, plant maturation, early maturing, early to mediummaturing, medium maturing, medium to late maturing, late maturing, smallstalk, medium stalk, large stalk, leaf number per plant, 5-10 leaves perplant, 11-15 leaves per plant, 16-21 leaves per plant, and anycombination thereof, to produce an F₁ progeny seed; (b) growing the F₁progeny seed into an F₁ progeny plant and selecting the F₁ progeny planthaving the desired trait; (c) crossing the selected F₁ progeny plantwith a plant of said first tobacco cultivar to produce a backcrossprogeny plant seed; (d) growing the backcross progeny plant seed into abackcross progeny plant and selecting the backcross progeny plantcomprising the desired trait and essentially all of the physiologicaland morphological characteristics of the first tobacco cultivar, NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, or NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC; and (e)repeating steps (c) and (d) one or more times in succession to produce aselected second, third, fourth or higher backcross progeny plant thatcomprises the desired trait and essentially all of the physiological andmorphological characteristics of said first tobacco cultivar, NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, or NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, where thedesired trait is disease resistance.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for producing atobacco plant having decreased nicotine conversion comprising:identifying a first tobacco plant comprising a nucleotide sequenceselected from the group consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ IDNO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 11, and any combination thereof;crossing the first tobacco plant with a second tobacco plant andcollecting an F₁ seed; crossing a plant grown from the F₁ seed to athird tobacco plant and collecting a second tobacco seed; andidentifying a second tobacco seed or a plant grown from the second seedthat is homozygous for the nucleotide sequence selected from the groupconsisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQID NO: 11, and any combination thereof, where the first tobacco plant isa plant of a tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121046, tobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071, or tobacco cultivar NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, and hybridcultivar NC 8 SRC.

In an aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for producing atobacco plant having decreased nicotine conversion comprising:identifying a first tobacco plant comprising a nucleotide sequenceselected from the group consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ IDNO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 11, and any combination thereof;crossing the first tobacco plant with a second tobacco plant andcollecting an F₁ seed; crossing a plant grown from the F₁ seed to athird tobacco plant and collecting a second tobacco seed; andidentifying a second tobacco seed or a plant grown from the second seedthat is homozygous for the nucleotide sequence selected from the groupconsisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQID NO: 11, and any combination thereof, where the third tobacco plant isa plant of tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121046, tobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071, tobacco cultivar NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, or hybridcultivar NC 8 SRC.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of producinga plant of a tobacco cultivar selected from the group consisting ofNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar havingbeen deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046,tobacco cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121071, tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representativesample seed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC underATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, and hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC comprisingat least one (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and the like) additionaldesired trait comprising the steps of: (a) collecting tissue capable ofbeing propagated from a plant of a tobacco cultivar selected from thegroup consisting of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121046, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed ofthe cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121071, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121056, and hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC; and (b) introducing atransgene (nucleic acid construct) conferring at least one desired traitinto the tissue.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of producingan herbicide resistant tobacco plant comprising transforming a tobaccoplant, or part thereof, produced by growing a seed of a tobacco cultivarselected from the group consisting of tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/BmrSRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having been depositedwith the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, tobacco cultivar CMSNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar havingbeen deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071,tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121056, and hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC with at least one transgene(nucleic acid construct), where the at least one transgene (nucleic acidconstruct) confers resistance to an herbicide selected from the groupconsisting of imidazolinone, cyclohexanedione, sulfonylurea, glyphosate,glufosinate, phenoxy proprionic acid, L-phosphinothricin, triazine,benzonitrile and any combination thereof.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes an herbicideresistant tobacco plant produced by a method comprising transforming atobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing a seed of a tobaccocultivar selected from the group consisting of tobacco cultivar NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, tobaccocultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of thecultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121071, tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121056, and hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC, with at leastone transgene (nucleic acid construct), where the at least one transgene(nucleic acid construct) confers resistance to an herbicide selectedfrom the group consisting of imidazolinone, cyclohexanedione,sulfonylurea, glyphosate, glufosinate, phenoxy proprionic acid,L-phosphinothricin, triazine, benzonitrile, and any combination thereof.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of producinga pest and/or insect resistant tobacco plant where the method comprisestransforming a tobacco plant produced by growing a seed of a tobaccocultivar selected from the group consisting of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, and hybrid cultivar NC 8SRC, with at least one transgene (nucleic acid construct) that conferspest and/or insect resistance.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a pest and/orinsect resistant tobacco plant produced by a method comprisingtransforming a tobacco plant produced by growing a seed of a tobaccocultivar selected from the group consisting of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, and hybrid cultivar NC 8SRC with at least one transgene (nucleic acid construct) that conferspest and/or insect resistance.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a pest and/orinsect resistant tobacco plant produced by a method comprisingtransforming a tobacco plant produced by growing a seed of a tobaccocultivar selected from the group consisting of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of the cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, and hybrid cultivar NC 8SRC, with at least one transgene (nucleic acid construct) that conferspest and/or insect resistance, where the transgene (nucleic acidconstruct) encodes a Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) endotoxin.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method of producinga disease resistant tobacco plant, the method comprising transforming atobacco plant produced by growing a seed of a tobacco cultivar selectedfrom the group consisting of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121046, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121071, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sampleseed of the cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121056, and hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC with at least onetransgene (nucleic acid construct) that confers disease resistance.

In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a disease resistanttobacco plant produced by transforming a tobacco plant produced bygrowing a seed of a tobacco cultivar selected from the group consistingof NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046,CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071,NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of the cultivar havingbeen deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056, andhybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC with at least one transgene (nucleic acidconstruct) that confers disease resistance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEQUENCES

SEQ ID NO: 1 sets forth a cyp82e4 W329Stop nucleotide sequence.

SEQ ID NO: 2 sets forth a cyp82e5v2 W422Stop nucleotide sequence.

SEQ ID NO: 3 sets forth a cyp82e4 W329Stop amino acid sequence.

SEQ ID NO: 4 sets forth a cyp82e5v2 W422Stop amino acid sequence.

SEQ ID NO: 5 sets forth a CYP82E4 wild-type nucleotide sequence.

SEQ ID NO: 6 sets forth a CYP82E5v2 wild-type nucleotide sequence.

SEQ ID NO: 7 sets forth a CYP82E4 wild-type amino acid sequence.

SEQ ID NO: 8 sets forth a CYP82E5v2 wild-type amino acid sequence.

SEQ ID NO: 9 sets forth a CYP82E10 wild-type nucleotide sequence.

SEQ ID NO: 10 sets forth a CYP82E10 wild-type amino acid sequence.

SEQ ID NO: 11 sets forth a CYP82E10 P381S nucleotide sequence.

SEQ ID NO: 12 sets forth a CYP82E10 P381S amino acid sequence.

All three tobacco Nicotine Demethylase genes (CYP82E4, CYP82E5v2,CYP82E10) share a common structure: a 939 bp exon 1 and a 612 bp exon 2separated by a large intron, whose length varies among the three genes.See Lewis et al., “Three nicotine demethylase genes mediate nornicotinebiosynthesis in Nicotiana tabacum L.: Functional characterization of theCYP82E10 gene,” Phytochemistry, 71 (2010), 1988-1998. SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2,5, 6, 9, and 11 set forth wild-type or mutant versions of codingsequences of CYP82E4, CYP82E5v2, and CYP82E10. It is understood that,used herein, a plant comprising, having, or homozygous for a sequenceselected from SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, and 11 refers to a plantcomprising at the CYP82E4, CYP82E5v2, or CYP82E10 endogenous locus agenomic sequence comprising the coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 5,6, 9, or 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

This description is not intended to be a detailed catalog of all thedifferent ways in which the disclosure may be implemented, or all thefeatures that may be added to the instant disclosure. For example,features illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be incorporatedinto other embodiments, and features illustrated with respect to aparticular embodiment may be deleted from that embodiment. Thus, thedisclosure contemplates that in some embodiments of the disclosure, anyfeature or combination of features set forth herein can be excluded oromitted. In addition, numerous variations and additions to the variousembodiments suggested herein will be apparent to those skilled in theart in light of the instant disclosure, which do not depart from theinstant disclosure. Hence, the following descriptions are intended toillustrate some particular embodiments of the disclosure, and not toexhaustively specify all permutations, combinations and variationsthereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art to which this disclosure belongs. The terminology used in thedescription of the disclosure herein is for the purpose of describingparticular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of thedisclosure.

All publications, patent applications, patents and other referencescited herein are incorporated by reference in their entireties for theteachings relevant to the sentence and/or paragraph in which thereference is presented. References to techniques employed herein areintended to refer to the techniques as commonly understood in the art,including variations on those techniques or substitutions of equivalenttechniques that would be apparent to one of skill in the art.

Unless the context indicates otherwise, it is specifically intended thatthe various features of the disclosure described herein can be used inany combination. Moreover, the present disclosure also contemplates thatin some embodiments of the disclosure, any feature or combination offeatures set forth herein can be excluded or omitted. To illustrate, ifthe specification states that a composition comprises components A, Band C, it is specifically intended that any of A, B or C, or acombination thereof, can be omitted and disclaimed singularly or in anycombination.

As used in the description of the disclosure and the appended claims,the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include theplural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

As used herein, “and/or” refers to and encompasses any and all possiblecombinations of one or more of the associated listed items, as well asthe lack of combinations when interpreted in the alternative (“or”).

The term “about,” as used herein when referring to a measurable valuesuch as a dosage or time period and the like, is meant to encompassvariations of ±20%, ±10%, ±5%, +1%, ±0.5%, or even ±0.1% of thespecified amount.

As used herein, phrases such as “between X and Y” and “between about Xand Y” should be interpreted to include X and Y. As used herein, phrasessuch as “between about X and Y” mean “between about X and about Y” andphrases such as “from about X to Y” mean “from about X to about Y.”

The terms “comprise,” “comprises” and “comprising” as used herein,specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps,operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude thepresence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps,operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

As used herein, the transitional phrase “consisting essentially of”means that the scope of a claim is to be interpreted to encompass thespecified materials or steps recited in the claim and those that do notmaterially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimeddisclosure. Thus, the term “consisting essentially of” when used in aclaim of this disclosure is not intended to be interpreted to beequivalent to “comprising.”

“Introducing,” in the context of a polynucleotide sequence (e.g., arecombinant polynucleotide and/or expression cassette of thedisclosure), means presenting a polynucleotide sequence to the plant,plant part, and/or plant cell in such a manner that the polynucleotidesequence gains access to the interior of a cell. Where more than onepolynucleotide sequence is to be introduced these polynucleotidesequences can be assembled as part of a single polynucleotide or nucleicacid construct, or as separate polynucleotide or nucleic acidconstructs, and can be located on the same or different transformationvectors. Accordingly, these polynucleotides can be introduced into plantcells in a single transformation event, in separate transformationevents, or, e.g., as part of a breeding protocol. Thus, the term“transformation” as used herein refers to the introduction of aheterologous nucleic acid into a cell. Transformation of a cell may bestable or transient. Thus, in some embodiments, a plant cell, plant partor plant of this disclosure can be stably transformed with a recombinantpolynucleotide of the disclosure. In other embodiments, a plant cell,plant part or plant of this disclosure can be transiently transformedwith a recombinant polynucleotide of the disclosure.

“Tobacco product” is defined as “any product made or derived fromtobacco that is intended for human use or consumption, including anycomponent, part, or accessory of a tobacco product (except for rawmaterials other than tobacco used in manufacturing a component, part, oraccessory of a tobacco product)” (section 201 of the FD&C Act; 21 U.S.C.321). The label and packaging is part of a tobacco product.

Terms “nicotine conversion rate,” “percent nicotine conversion,” and“percentage nicotine conversion” are used interchangeably. Percentnicotine demethylation in a sample is calculated by dividing the levelof nornicotine by the combined level of nicotine and nornicotine asmeasured in the sample, and multiplying by 100.

NC174 SRC

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides tobacco cultivars, andparts thereof, from NC174 SRC, representative sample seeds of thiscultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121048. In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a tobaccoplant, or part thereof, produced by growing a seed of NC174 SRC. In afurther aspect, a plant of the present disclosure can include a plantwith all, or essentially all, of the morphological and physiologicalcharacteristics of cultivar NC174 SRC.

While not being limited by process, NC174 SRC is a result of theintroduction of three mutated CYP82E genes in a burley tobacco cultivarNC174. The three genes are a mutated CYP82E4 gene recited as 325-6 #775in Lewis et al. (“Three nicotine demethylase genes mediate nornicotinebiosynthesis in Nicotiana tabacum L.: Functional characterization of theCYP82E10 gene,” Phytochemistry, 71 (2010), 1988-1998 (SEQ ID NO: 1,which sets forth a cyp82e4 W329Stop, hereby incorporated by reference inits entirety)), a mutated CYP82E5v2 recited in Lewis et al. (supra) as325-6 #1-13 (SEQ ID NO: 2, which sets forth a cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety), and a mutated CYP82E10recited in Lewis et al. (supra) as 325-6 #1041 (SEQ ID NO:11, which setsforth a cyp82e10 P381S, hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety). Mutations cyp82e4 W329Stop and cyp82e5v2 W422Stop result intruncated proteins while cyp82E10 P381S results in a nonfunctionalprotein. A cyp82e4 W329Stop (“e4”), a cyp82e5v2 W422Stop (“e5”), and acyp82e10 P381S (“e10”) mutation are introduced from a e4e4|e5e5|e10e10triple mutant from a strong converter burley background, lineDH98-325-6, as listed in Table 4 of Lewis et al. (supra) into a burleytobacco cultivar NC174 background.

NC174 SRC is the result of seven backcrosses with burley cultivar NC174as the recurrent parent, followed by two rounds of selfing withselection for homozygosity for the cyp82e4 W329Stop, the cyp82e5v2W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S mutations to yield BC₇F₃ plants (NC174 SRC)in which the wild-type CYP82E4, CYP82E5v2 and CYP82E10 alleles of NC174are replaced by the mutant (e.g., cyp82e4 W329Stop, cyp82e5v2 W422Stop,and cyp82e10 P381S) alleles.

NC174 SRC progeny plants have genetic backgrounds that are at least 95%,at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% similar to NC174. NC174 SRCplants exhibit low nornicotine levels and produce leaves with reducedpotential for accumulating derived NNN during curing, storage, andsmoking.

CMS NC174 SRC

In other aspects, the present disclosure also provides tobaccocultivars, and parts thereof, from CMS NC174 SRC, representative sampleseeds of this cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121069. In further aspects, the present disclosureprovides a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing a seed ofCMS NC174 SRC. In still further aspects, the plant of the presentdisclosure can include a plant with all, or essentially all, of themorphological and physiological characteristics of cultivar CMS NC174SRC. CMS NC174 SRC is a male-sterile (CMS) version of NC174 (CMS NC174SRC) produced by crossing a plant of CMS NC174 as a female with pollenof NC174 SRC BC₆F₁ to produce male-sterile plants heterozygous for allthree mutations. The CMS progeny plants of the CMS NC174×NC174 SRC BC₆F₁cross are male sterile. A plurality of CMS NC174×NC174 SRC BC₆F₁×CMSplants (e.g., CMS F₁ progeny plants) are screened for the cyp82e4W329Stop, cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S mutations to identifyplants heterozygous for all three mutations. A single male-sterile plantresulting from this cross is backcrossed as a female to NC174 SRC toprepare BC₇F₁ CMS progeny. BC₇F₁ CMS progeny homozygous for the cyp82e4W329Stop, the cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S mutations areidentified by genotyping and designated as CMS NC174 SRC. Because theCMS NC174 SRC line is male sterile, it is maintained via pollinationwith NC174 SRC. NC174 SRC is crossed as the male parent to CMS NC174 SRCto prepare CMS NC174 SRC F₁ progeny plants.

CMS NC174 SRC and CMS NC174 SRC F₁ progeny plants have geneticbackgrounds that are at least 95%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or atleast 99% similar to NC174. CMS NC174 SRC and CMS NC174 SRC F₁ progenyplants exhibit low nornicotine levels and produce leaves with reducedpotential for accumulating derived NNN during curing, storage, andsmoking.

NC821-11 SRC

In some aspects, the present disclosure provides tobacco cultivars, andparts thereof, from NC821-11 SRC, where representative sample seeds ofthis cultivar have been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121050. In other aspects, the present disclosure provides a tobaccoplant, or part thereof, produced by growing a seed of NC821-11 SRC. Instill further aspects, a plant of the present disclosure can include aplant with all, or essentially all, of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of cultivar NC821-11 SRC. While not beinglimited by process, NC821-11 SRC is a result of introducing the cyp82e4W329Stop, cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S mutations fromDH98-325-6. F₁ individuals originating from a cross between NC821-11 andDH98-325-6 and heterozygous for each mutation are then backcrossed seventimes to NC821-11 to produce BC₇F₁ progeny. BC₇F₁ individualsheterozygous for all three mutations are self-pollinated to produceBC₇F₂ seed and individuals homozygous for all three mutationsidentified. A single BC₇F₂ plant is self-pollinated to produce BC₇F₃(NC821-11 SRC) in which the wild-type CYP82E4, CYP82E5v2 and CYP82E10alleles of NC821-11 are replaced by the mutant (e.g., cyp82e4 W329Stop,cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S).

NC821-11 SRC has a genetic background that is at least 95%, at least97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% similar to NC821-11. NC821-11 SRCexhibits low nornicotine levels and produce leaves with reducedpotential for accumulating derived NNN during curing, storage, andsmoking.

NC 5 SRC

In other aspects, the present disclosure provides tobacco cultivars, andparts thereof, from NC 5 SRC. In another aspect, the present disclosureprovides a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seedof NC 5 SRC. In a further aspect, a plant of the present disclosure caninclude a plant with all, or essentially all, of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of cultivar NC 5 SRC.

While not being limited by process, NC 5 SRC is produced by pollinatingplants of CMS NC174 SRC with pollen of NC821-11 SRC. Again, not limitedby any particular scientific theory, cyp82e4 W329Stop, cyp82e5v2W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S mutations all encode for proteins withreduced or eliminated ability to convert nicotine to nornicotine. NC 5SRC has a genetic background that is at least 95%, at least 97%, atleast 98%, or at least 99% similar to burley tobacco cultivar NC 5 LC, ahybrid generated by pollinating plants of a male-sterile breeding lineCMS NC174 with pollen produced by fertile breeding line NC821-11. NC 5SRC exhibits low nornicotine and is not subject to conversion to highnornicotine.

NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides tobacco cultivars, andparts thereof, from NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, representative sample seeds ofthis cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121046. In another aspect, the present disclosure provides atobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing a seed of NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC. In a further aspect, a plant of the present disclosure caninclude a plant with all, or essentially all, of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC.

While not being limited by process, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC is a result of theintroduction of three mutated CYP82E genes in a burley tobacco cultivarNC775 Bmr/Bmr. The three genes are a mutated CYP82E4 gene recited as325-6 #775 in Lewis et al. (“Three nicotine demethylase genes mediatenornicotine biosynthesis in Nicotiana tabacum L.: Functionalcharacterization of the CYP82E10 gene,” Phytochemistry, 71 (2010),1988-1998 (SEQ ID NO: 1, which sets forth a cyp82e4 W329Stop, herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety)), a mutated CYP82E5v2 recitedin Lewis et al. (supra) as 325-6 #1-13 (SEQ ID NO: 2, which sets forth acyp82e5v2 W422Stop, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety),and a mutated CYP82E10 recited in Lewis et al. (supra) as 325-6 #1041(SEQ ID NO: 11, which sets forth a cyp82e10 P381S, hereby incorporatedby reference in its entirety). Mutations cyp82e4 W329Stop and cyp82e5v2W422Stop result in truncated proteins while cyp82E10 P381S results in anonfunctional protein. A cyp82e4 W329Stop (“e4”), a cyp82e5v2 W422Stop(“e5”), and a cyp82e10 P381S (“e10”) mutation are introduced from ae4e4|e5e5|e10e10 triple mutant from a strong converter burleybackground, line DH98-325-6, as listed in Table 4 of Lewis et al.(supra) into a burley tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr background.

NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC is the result of seven backcrosses with burleycultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr as the recurrent parent, followed by two roundsof selfing with selection for homozygosity for the cyp82e4 W329Stop, thecyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S mutations to yield BC₇F₃ plants(NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC) in which the wild-type CYP82E4, CYP82E5v2 andCYP82E10 alleles of NC775 Bmr/Bmr are replaced by the mutant (e.g.,cyp82e4 W329Stop, cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S) alleles.

NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC progeny plants have genetic backgrounds that are atleast 95%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% similar to NC775Bmr/Bmr. NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC plants exhibit low nornicotine levels andproduce leaves with reduced potential for accumulating derived NNNduring curing, storage, and smoking.

CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC

In other aspects, the present disclosure also provides tobaccocultivars, and parts thereof, from CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, representativesample seeds of this cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC underATCC Accession No. PTA-121071. In further aspects, the presentdisclosure provides a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced bygrowing a seed of CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC. In still further aspects, theplant of the present disclosure can include a plant with all, oressentially all, of the morphological and physiological characteristicsof cultivar CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC. CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC is amale-sterile (CMS) version of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC (CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC)produced by crossing a plant of CMS NC775 as a female with pollen ofNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC BC₆F₁ to produce male-sterile plants heterozygous forall three mutations and the Bmr blue mold resistance locus. The CMSprogeny plants of the CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr×NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC BC₆F₁ crossare male sterile. A plurality of CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr×NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRCBC₆F₁×CMS plants (e.g., CMS F₁ progeny plants) are screened for thecyp82e4 W329Stop, cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S mutations toidentify plants heterozygous for all three mutations and for DNA markerslinked to Bmr. A single male-sterile plant resulting from this cross isbackcrossed as a female to NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC to prepare BC₇F₁ CMSprogeny. BC₇F₁ CMS progeny homozygous for the cyp82e4 W329Stop, thecyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S mutations and the Bmr blue moldresistance locus are identified by genotyping and designated as CMSNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC. Because the CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC line is malesterile, it is maintained via pollination with NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC. NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC is crossed as the male parent to CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC toprepare CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC F₁ progeny plants.

CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC and CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC F₁ progeny plants havegenetic backgrounds that are at least 95%, at least 97%, at least 98%,or at least 99% similar to NC775 Bmr/Bmr. CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC and CMSNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC F₁ progeny plants exhibit low nornicotine levels andproduce leaves with reduced potential for accumulating derived NNNduring curing, storage, and smoking.

NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC

In some aspects, the present disclosure provides tobacco cultivars, andparts thereof, from NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, where representative sample seedsof this cultivar have been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121056. In other aspects, the present disclosure provides atobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing a seed of NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC. In still further aspects, a plant of the present disclosurecan include a plant with all, or essentially all, of the morphologicaland physiological characteristics of cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC. Whilenot being limited by process, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC is a result ofintroducing the cyp82e4 W329Stop, cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381Smutations from DH98-325-6. F₁ individuals originating from a crossbetween NC645 Bmr/Bmr and DH98-325-6 and heterozygous for each mutationare then backcrossed seven times to NC645 Bmr/Bmr to produce BC₇F₁progeny. BC₇F₁ individuals heterozygous for all three mutations areself-pollinated to produce BC₇F₂ seed and individuals homozygous for allthree mutations identified. A single BC₇F₂ plant is self-pollinated toproduce BC₇F₃ (NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC) in which the wild-type CYP82E4,CYP82E5v2 and CYP82E10 alleles of NC645 Bmr/Bmr are replaced by themutant (e.g., cyp82e4 W329Stop, cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S).

NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC has a genetic background that is at least 95%, atleast 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% similar to NC645 Bmr/Bmr. NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC exhibits low nornicotine levels and produce leaves withreduced potential for accumulating derived NNN during curing, storage,and smoking.

NC 8 SRC

In other aspects, the present disclosure provides tobacco cultivars, andparts thereof, from NC 8 SRC. In another aspect, the present disclosureprovides a tobacco plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seedof NC 8 SRC. In a further aspect, a plant of the present disclosure caninclude a plant with all, or essentially all, of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of cultivar NC 8 SRC.

While not being limited by process, NC 8 SRC is produced by pollinatingplants of CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC with pollen of NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC. Again,not limited by any particular scientific theory, cyp82e4 W329Stop,cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S mutations all encode for proteinswith reduced or eliminated ability to convert nicotine to nornicotine.NC 8 SRC has a genetic background that is at least 95%, at least 97%, atleast 98%, or at least 99% similar to burley tobacco cultivar NC775Bmr/Bmr×NC645 Bmr/Bmr, a hybrid generated by pollinating plants of amale-sterile breeding line CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr with pollen produced byfertile breeding line NC645 Bmr/Bmr. NC 8 SRC exhibits low nornicotineand is not subject to conversion to high nornicotine.

Other Plants

In some aspects, the present disclosure provides a tobacco seed producedby crossing two parent tobacco plants and harvesting the resultanttobacco seed, where at least one parent tobacco plant is NC174 SRC. Inone aspect, the NC174 SRC is the male parent plant. In another aspect,the CMS NC174 SRC is the female parent plant. One aspect of the presentdisclosure provides tobacco plants that are homozygous at the cyp82e4,cyp82e5v2, and cyp82E10 loci for SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, and SEQ IDNO: 11, respectively, and which share a genetic background that isgreater than about 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, or 99% similar to NC174or CMS NC174. In one aspect, approximately or greater than about 50%,75%, or 100% of a progeny's genetics is provided by a plant of thepresent disclosure that is homozygous at the cyp82e4, cyp82e5v2, andcyp82E10 loci for SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, and SEQ ID NO: 11,respectively. In one aspect, a plant of the present disclosure has agenetic background that is at least 95%, at least 97%, at least 98%, orat least 99% similar to NC174 or CMS NC174. In another aspect, a plantof the present disclosure exhibits low nornicotine and is not subject toconversion to high nornicotine. In one aspect, a plant of the presentdisclosure is the progeny plant of a female or male parent plant that isFusarium wilt resistant. In another aspect, a plant of NC174 SRC has lowresistance to black shank and moderate resistance to bacterial wilt.

The present disclosure includes a tobacco seed produced by crossing twoparent tobacco plants and harvesting the resultant tobacco seed, whereat least one parent tobacco plant is NC174 SRC. In one aspect, the NC174SRC is the male parent plant. In another aspect, the CMS NC174 SRC isthe female parent plant. One aspect of the present disclosure providestobacco plants that are homozygous at the cyp82e4, cyp82e5v2, andcyp82E10 loci for SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, and SEQ ID NO: 11,respectively, and which share a genetic background that is greater thanabout 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, or 99% similar to NC174 or CMSNC174. In one aspect, approximately or greater than about 50%, 75%, or100% of a progeny's genetics is provided by a plant of the presentdisclosure that is homozygous at the cyp82e4, cyp82e5v2, and cyp82E10loci for SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, and SEQ ID NO: 11, respectively. Inone aspect, a plant of the present disclosure has a genetic backgroundthat is at least 95%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99%similar to NC174 SRC and CMS NC174 SRC. In another aspect, a plant ofthe present disclosure exhibits low nornicotine and is not subject toconversion to high nornicotine. In one aspect, a plant of the presentdisclosure is the progeny plant of a female or male parent plant that isFusarium wilt resistant. In another aspect, a plant of NC 5 SRC hasmoderate resistance to black shank and moderate resistance to bacterialwilt.

In one aspect, a plant of the present disclosure is a medium-latematuring variety with moderately high yield potential. In anotheraspect, a plant of the present disclosure offers a broad range ofimportant agronomic characteristics. In a further aspect, a plant of thepresent disclosure has one, two, three, four or more of the traitsincluding moderate resistance to black shank, some tolerance to bluemold, black root rot resistance, and resistance to common virusdiseases. In another aspect, a plant of the present disclosure has bluemold tolerance and level 4 resistance to both races of black shank andhigh root rot resistance. In one aspect, a plant of the presentdisclosure, such as NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, and hybridcultivar NC 5 SRC, lacks Fusarium wilt resistance. In another aspect, aplant of the present disclosure is Fusarium wilt resistant. In anotheraspect, a plant of the present disclosure has low resistance to blackshank and moderate resistance to bacterial wilt.

In an aspect, the plants of the present disclosure have reduced oreliminated ability to convert nicotine to nornicotine. In an aspect, thepercentage nicotine conversion is less than about 75%, 70%, 60%, 50%, or25% of that found in CMS NC174, NC821-11 or hybrid cultivar NC 5 LC. Thenicotine conversion in plants of the present disclosure, including NC174SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, and hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC, can beless than about 4%, about 3.5%, about 3%, about 2.5%, about 2%, about1.5%, or about 1%, or any range therein. In still other aspects, thenicotine conversion in plants of the present disclosure, including NC174SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, and hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC, can bein a range from about 3% to about 1%, about 3% to about 0.5%, or about2% to about 0.5%. In a preferred aspect, the percentage nicotineconversion is less than about 25%, 10%, 5%, or 2% of that found inNC174, NC821-11, or hybrid cultivar NC821-11 SRC without the cyp82e4W329Stop, the cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S mutations.

In some aspects, the present disclosure provides a tobacco seed producedby crossing two parent tobacco plants and harvesting the resultanttobacco seed, where at least one parent tobacco plant is NC775 Bmr/BmrSRC. In one aspect, the NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC is the male parent plant. Inanother aspect, the CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC is the female parent plant.One aspect of the present disclosure provides tobacco plants that arehomozygous at the cyp82e4, cyp82e5v2, and cyp82E10 loci for SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO: 2, and SEQ ID NO: 11, respectively, and which share agenetic background that is greater than about 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%,98%, or 99% similar to NC775 Bmr/Bmr or CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr. In oneaspect, approximately or greater than about 50%, 75%, or 100% of aprogeny's genetics is provided by a plant of the present disclosure thatis homozygous at the cyp82e4, cyp82e5v2, and cyp82E10 loci for SEQ IDNO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, and SEQ ID NO: 11, respectively. In one aspect, aplant of the present disclosure has a genetic background that is atleast 95%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% similar to NC775Bmr/Bmr or CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr. In another aspect, a plant of the presentdisclosure exhibits low nornicotine and is not subject to conversion tohigh nornicotine. In one aspect, a plant of the present disclosure isthe progeny plant of a female or male parent plant that is Fusarium wiltresistant. In another aspect, a plant of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC has lowresistance to black shank and moderate resistance to bacterial wilt.

The present disclosure includes a tobacco seed produced by crossing twoparent tobacco plants and harvesting the resultant tobacco seed, whereat least one parent tobacco plant is NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC. In one aspect,the NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC is the male parent plant. In another aspect, theCMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC is the female parent plant. One aspect of thepresent disclosure provides tobacco plants that are homozygous at thecyp82e4, cyp82e5v2, and cyp82E10 loci for SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2,and SEQ ID NO: 11, respectively, and which share a genetic backgroundthat is greater than about 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, or 99% similarto NC775 Bmr/Bmr or CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr. In one aspect, approximately orgreater than about 50%, 75%, or 100% of a progeny's genetics is providedby a plant of the present disclosure that is homozygous at the cyp82e4,cyp82e5v2, and cyp82E10 loci for SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, and SEQ IDNO: 11, respectively. In one aspect, a plant of the present disclosurehas a genetic background that is at least 95%, at least 97%, at least98%, or at least 99% similar to NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC and CMS NC775 Bmr/BmrSRC. In another aspect, a plant of the present disclosure exhibits lownornicotine and is not subject to conversion to high nornicotine. In oneaspect, a plant of the present disclosure is the progeny plant of afemale or male parent plant that is Fusarium wilt resistant. In anotheraspect, a plant of NC 8 SRC has moderate resistance to black shank andmoderate resistance to bacterial wilt.

In one aspect, a plant of the present disclosure is a medium-latematuring variety with moderately high yield potential. In anotheraspect, a plant of the present disclosure offers a broad range ofimportant agronomic characteristics. In a further aspect, a plant of thepresent disclosure has one, two, three, four or more of the traitsincluding moderate resistance to black shank, some tolerance to bluemold, black root rot resistance, and resistance to common virusdiseases. In another aspect, a plant of the present disclosure has bluemold tolerance and level 4 resistance to both races of black shank andhigh root rot resistance. In one aspect, a plant of the presentdisclosure, such as NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC, and hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC, lacks Fusarium wiltresistance. In another aspect, a plant of the present disclosure isFusarium wilt resistant. In another aspect, a plant of the presentdisclosure has low resistance to black shank and moderate resistance tobacterial wilt.

In an aspect, the plants of the present disclosure have reduced oreliminated ability to convert nicotine to nornicotine. In an aspect, thepercentage nicotine conversion is less than about 75%, 70%, 60%, 50%, or25% of that found in NC775 Bmr/Bmr, NC645 Bmr/Bmr or hybrid cultivar NC8. The nicotine conversion in plants of the present disclosure,including NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC,and hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC, can be less than about 4%, about 3.5%,about 3%, about 2.5%, about 2%, about 1.5%, or about 1%, or any rangetherein. In still other aspects, the nicotine conversion in plants ofthe present disclosure, including NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/BmrSRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, and hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC, can be in a rangefrom about 3% to about 1%, about 3% to about 0.5%, or about 2% to about0.5%. In a preferred aspect, the percentage nicotine conversion is lessthan about 25%, 10%, 5%, or 2% of that found in NC775 Bmr/Bmr, NC645Bmr/Bmr, or hybrid cultivar NC 8 without the cyp82e4 W329Stop, thecyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S mutations.

In an aspect, the tobacco plants of the present disclosure can have anicotine conversion rate of about 3.5, 3.25, 3.0 or 2.75% or less. Inanother aspect, the nicotine conversion rate of tobacco plants of thepresent disclosure can be about 4.0, 3.9, 3.8, 3.7, 3.6, 3.5, 3.4, 3.3,3.2, 3.1, 3.0, 2.9, 2.8, 2.7, 2.6, 2.5, 2.4, 2.3, 2.2, 2.1, 2.0, 1.9,1.8, 1.7, 1.6, 1.5, 1.4, 1.3, 1.2, 1.1, 1.0, 0.9, 0.8, 0.7, 0.6, 0.5% orless or any range therein. In another aspect, the nicotine conversionrate of tobacco plants of the present disclosure can be about 2.9, 2.8,2.7, 2.6, 2.5, 2.4, 2.3, 2.2, 2.1, 2.0, 1.9, 1.8, 1.7, 1.6, 1.5, 1.4,1.3, 1.2, 1.1, 1.0, 0.9, 0.8, 0.7, 0.6% or less or any range therein. Inanother aspect, the nicotine conversion rates can be in a range fromabout 0.5% to about 0.9%, about 0.5% to about 1.5%, about 0.5% to about2.0%, about 0.5% to about 2.5%, about 0.5% to about 2.75%, and about0.5% to about 3.0%. In another aspect, the nicotine conversion rates canbe in a range from about 1.0% to about 1.5%, about 1.0% to about 1.75%,about 1.0% to about 2.0%, about 1.0% to about 2.5%, about 1.0% to about2.75%, or about 1.0% to about 3.0%. In another aspect, the nicotineconversion rate in a plant of the present disclosure can be less thanabout 2.9, 2.75, 2.5, 2.25, 2.0, 1.9, 1.8, 1.7, 1.6, 1.5, 1.4, 1.3, 1.2,1.1 or 1.0% or any range therein.

In another aspect, the tobacco plants of the present disclosuretypically have a reduced amount of nornicotine of less than about 0.10%dry weight. For example, the nornicotine content in such plants can beabout 1.2, 1.0, 0.7, 0.5, 0.4, 0.2, 0.1, 0.09, 0.085, 0.08, 0.075, 0.07,0.065, 0.06, 0.055, 0.05, 0.045, 0.04, 0.035, 0.025, 0.01, 0.009,0.0075, 0.005, 0.0025, 0.001, 0.0009, 0.00075, 0.0005, 0.00025, or0.0001% dry weight, or undetectable, or any range therein. In anotheraspect, the nornicotine content can be less than about 1.2, 1.0, 0.9,0.8, 0.7, 0.5, 0.4, 0.2, 0.1, 0.075, 0.05, 0.025, 0.01, 0.009, 0.0075,0.005, 0.0025, 0.001, 0.0009, 0.00075, 0.0005, 0.00025, or 0.0001% dryweight, or any range therein. In another aspect, the nornicotine contentin such plants can be in a range from about 1.2% to about 1.0%, about0.7% to about 0.5%, about 0.4% to about 0.2%, about 0.1% to about0.075%, about 0.05% to about 0.025%, about 0.01% to about 0.0075%, about0.005% to about 0.0025%, about 0.001% to about 0.00075%, about 0.0005%to about 0.00025%, or about 0.0005% to about 0.0001% dry weight. In someaspects, in a plant of the present disclosure, the nornicotine is arelatively small percentage of total alkaloids in the plant compared toa commercial seedlot of NC174, NC821-11, NC775 Bmr/Bmr, NC645 Bmr/Bmr,or hybrid cultivar NC 5 LC or NC 8 LC.

In some aspects, the nornicotine in a plant of the present disclosurecan be about 2% to about 1%, less than 3%, about 2%, about 1.5%, about1%, or 0.75% of total alkaloids. Tobacco products having a reducedamount of nitrosamine content can be manufactured using tobacco plantmaterial from plants and plant parts of the present disclosure. Thus, insome embodiments, a tobacco product manufactured using tobacco plantmaterial from plants and plant parts of the present disclosure cancomprise a reduced amount of nornicotine of less than about 3 mg/g. Forexample, the nornicotine content in such a product can be 3.0 mg/g, 2.5mg/g, 2.0 mg/g, 1.5 mg/g, 1.0 mg/g, 750 μg/g, 500 μg/g, 250 μg/g, 100μg/g, 75 μg/g, 50 μg/g, 25 μg/g, 10 μg/g, 5 μg/g, 1 μg/g, 750 ng/g, 500ng/g, 250 ng/g, 100 ng/g, 75 ng/g, 50 ng/g, 25 ng/g, 10 ng/g, 5 ng/g, 1ng/g, 750 pg/g, 500 pg/g, 250 pg/g, 100 pg/g, 75 pg/g, 50 pg/g, 25 pg/g,10 pg/g, 7.0 pg/g, 5.0 pg/g, 4.0 pg/g, 2.0 pg/g, 1.0 pg/g, 0.5 pg/g, 0.4pg/g, 0.2 pg/g, 0.1 pg/g, 0.05 pg/g, 0.01 pg/g, and the like, orundetectable, or any range therein. The tobacco product typically has areduced amount of NNN of less than about 10 pg/g. For example, the NNNcontent in such a product can be about 10 pg/g, 7.0 pg/g, 5.0 pg/g, 4.0pg/g, 2.0 pg/g, 1.0 pg/g, 0.5 pg/g, 0.4 pg/g, 0.2 pg/g, 0.1 pg/g, 0.05pg/g, 0.01 pg/g, and the like, or undetectable, or any range therein.The percentage of secondary alkaloids relative to total alkaloid contentcontained in a plant of the present disclosure may not be statisticallydifferent than from a commercial seedlot of NC174, NC821-11, NC775Bmr/Bmr, NC645 Bmr/Bmr, or hybrid cultivar NC 5 LC or NC 8 LC.

Differences between two inbred tobacco varieties or two hybrid tobaccovarieties can be evaluated using statistical approaches. Statisticalanalysis includes the calculation of mean values, determination of thestatistical significance of the sources of variation, and thecalculation of the appropriate variance components. Methods fordetermining statistical significance are known in the art. Statisticalsoftware is available, for example, the PROC GLM function of SAS.Significance is generally presented as a “p-value.” A statisticallysignificant p-value is less than 0.10. In a preferred aspect, thep-value is less than, or equal to, 0.05. In another aspect, the p-valueis 0.04 or less, 0.03 or less, or 0.02 or less. In yet another aspect, astatistically significant value is less than 0.01. In yet anotheraspect, it can be less than 0.009, less than 0.008, less than 0.007,less than 0.006, less than 0.005, less than 0.004, less than 0.003, lessthan 0.002, or less than 0.001.

Tobacco plants of the present disclosure that are homozygous for thecyp82e4 W329Stop, the cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S alleleshave a reversion rate that is statistically significantly lower thancorresponding control low-converter plants having wild type nicotinedemethylase CYP82E4, E5, and E10 genes. In addition, homozygous CYP82E4,CYP82E5, and CYP82E10 triple mutant tobacco plants have a percentconversion to nornicotine of less than about 2.0%, e.g., undetectable toabout 2.0%, 1.9%, 1.8%, 1.7%, 1.6%, 1.5%, 1.4%, 1.3%, 1.2%, 1.1%, 1.0%,0.9%, 0.8%, or any range therein. In some aspects, the triple mutanttobacco plants have a percent conversion to nornicotine in a range from,for example, about 1.0% to 2.0%, 0.8% to 1.8%, 0.8% to 2.0%, or 1.0% to2.0%.

Nicotine and nornicotine can be measured in ethylene-treated leavesusing methods known in the art (e.g., gas chromatography). Percentnicotine demethylation in a sample is calculated by dividing the levelof nornicotine by the combined level of nicotine and nornicotine asmeasured in the sample, and multiplying by 100. Percent nicotinedemethylation in a sample from a plant of the present disclosure isabout 50, 40, 30, 20, or 10 percent of a sample from an individual plantgrown from a commercial seedlot of NC174, NC821-11, NC775 Bmr/Bmr, NC645Bmr/Bmr, or hybrid cultivar NC 5 LC or NC 8 LC.

In an aspect, the tobacco plants of the present disclosure have a USDAquality index of about 73, about 72, about 71, about 70, about 69, about68, about 67 or about 66 or any range therein. In an aspect, the tobaccoplants of the present disclosure have a USDA quality index of about 65.In another aspect, the quality index may be at least about 55, 60, 62.5or greater, or any range therein. In another aspect, tobacco plants ofthe present disclosure can have a quality index in the range of about 60to about 65, about 60 to about 70, about 62.5 to about 65, about 62.5 toabout 70, or about 65 to about 70.

A plant of the present disclosure, including NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC,NC821-11 SRC, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC 5 SRC and NC 8SRC, can have any yield potential, including high (e.g., over 3000lbs/A), moderately high (e.g., 2200-3000 lbs/A), and moderate (e.g.,less than 2000 lbs/A) yield potential.

In another aspect, the present disclosure also provides for a plantgrown from the seed of a NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, or ahybrid NC 5 SRC plant in which alkaloids obtained from tobacco plantsgrown for the seed have decreased nornicotine, as well as plant partsand tissue cultures from such plants, representative sample seeds ofthese cultivars having been deposited with the ATCC, for example, underATCC Accession No. PTA-121048 for NC174 SRC, ATCC Accession No.PTA-121069 for CMS NC174 SRC, ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050 for NC821-11SRC. Seeds of hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC are obtainable by crossing plantsof cultivars NC821-11 SRC and CMS NC174 SRC and collecting seeds.

An aspect of the present disclosure provides for parts of the cultivarsNC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, and hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC. Apart of a cultivar can comprise any plant part and includes, but is notlimited to, leaves, pollen, embryos, cotyledons, hypocotyls, roots, roottips, anthers, flowers, ovules, shoots, stems, stalks, pith andcapsules, tissue culture comprising tissue, callus, cells or protoplastsof the cultivars NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, and hybridcultivar NC 5 SRC. In another aspect, the present disclosure providesfor parts from hybrids of cultivars NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11SRC, and hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC derived tobacco plants. In yet anotheraspect, the present disclosure provides for parts from geneticallymodified (e.g., by conventional breeding or genetic engineeringtechniques) forms of the foregoing plants and tissue culture.

In another aspect, the present disclosure also provides for a plantgrown from the seed of a NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC, or a hybrid NC 8 SRC plant in which alkaloids obtained fromtobacco plants grown for the seed have decreased nornicotine, as well asplant parts and tissue cultures from such plants, representative sampleseeds of these cultivars having been deposited with the ATCC, forexample, under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046 for NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, ATCCAccession No. PTA-121071 for CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, ATCC Accession No.PTA-121056 for NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC. Seeds of hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC areobtainable by crossing plants of cultivars NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC and CMSNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC and collecting seeds.

An aspect of the present disclosure provides for parts of the cultivarsNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, and hybridcultivar NC 8 SRC. A part of a cultivar can comprise any plant part andincludes, but is not limited to, leaves, pollen, embryos, cotyledons,hypocotyls, roots, root tips, anthers, flowers, ovules, shoots, stems,stalks, pith and capsules, tissue culture comprising tissue, callus,cells or protoplasts of the cultivars NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, and hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC. In anotheraspect, the present disclosure provides for parts from hybrids ofcultivars NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC,and hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC derived tobacco plants. In yet anotheraspect, the present disclosure provides for parts from geneticallymodified (e.g., by conventional breeding or genetic engineeringtechniques) forms of the foregoing plants and tissue culture.

Additional aspects of the present disclosure provide products comprisingtobacco from the plants of the present disclosure, and parts thereof.Other aspects of the disclosure provide cured plant parts, whichinclude, but are not limited to, a leaf, pollen, ovule, embryo,cotyledon, hypocotyl, meristematic cell, protoplast, root, root tip,pistil, anther, flower, shoot, stem, pod, petiole, and the like, andcombinations thereof.

Thus, in some aspects, the present disclosure provides a cured tobaccocomprising the leaves of the tobacco plant designated NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of said cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048. In another aspect, thepresent disclosure provides a cured tobacco comprising the leaves of thetobacco plant designated CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed ofsaid cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121069. In another aspect, the present disclosure provides acured tobacco comprising the leaves of the tobacco plant designatedNC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of said cultivar having beendeposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050. In yetanother aspect, the present disclosure provides a cured tobaccocomprising the leaves of the hybrid tobacco plant designated NC 5 SRC.Seeds of hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC are obtainable by crossing plants ofcultivars NC821-11 SRC and CMS NC174 SRC and collecting seeds.

In an aspect, the present disclosure provides a cured tobacco comprisingthe stems of the tobacco plant designated NC174 SRC, a representativesample seed of said cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC underATCC Accession No. PTA-121048. In another aspect, the present disclosureprovides a cured tobacco comprising the stems of the tobacco plantdesignated CMS NC174 SRC, a representative sample seed of said cultivarhaving been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069.In an aspect, the present disclosure provides a cured tobacco comprisingthe stems of the tobacco plant designated NC821-11 SRC, a representativesample seed of said cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC underATCC Accession No. PTA-121050. In yet another aspect, the presentdisclosure provides a cured tobacco comprising the stems of the hybridtobacco plant designated NC 5 SRC. Seeds of hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC areobtainable by crossing plants of cultivars NC821-11 SRC and CMS NC174SRC and collecting seeds.

In an aspect, the present disclosure provides a cured tobacco comprisingthe leaves and stems of the tobacco plants designated NC174 SRC, arepresentative sample seed of said cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121048. In another aspect, thepresent disclosure provides a cured tobacco comprising the leaves andstems of the tobacco plants designated CMS NC174 SRC, a representativesample seed of said cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC underATCC Accession No. PTA-121069. In an aspect, the present disclosureprovides a cured tobacco comprising the leaves and stems of the tobaccoplants designated NC821-11 SRC, a representative sample seed of saidcultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121050. In yet another aspect, the present disclosure provides acured tobacco comprising the leaves and stems of the hybrid tobaccoplants designated NC 5 SRC. Seeds of hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC areobtainable by crossing plants of cultivars NC821-11 SRC and CMS NC174SRC and collecting seeds.

In some aspects, the present disclosure provides a cured tobaccocomprising the leaves of the tobacco plant designated NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC,a representative sample seed of said cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046. In another aspect, thepresent disclosure provides a cured tobacco comprising the leaves of thetobacco plant designated CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sampleseed of said cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121071. In another aspect, the present disclosureprovides a cured tobacco comprising the leaves of the tobacco plantdesignated NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of saidcultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121056. In yet another aspect, the present disclosure provides acured tobacco comprising the leaves of the hybrid tobacco plantdesignated NC 8 SRC. Seeds of hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC are obtainable bycrossing plants of cultivars NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC and CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRCand collecting seeds.

In an aspect, the present disclosure provides a cured tobacco comprisingthe stems of the tobacco plant designated NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of said cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046. In another aspect, thepresent disclosure provides a cured tobacco comprising the stems of thetobacco plant designated CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sampleseed of said cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121071. In an aspect, the present disclosure providesa cured tobacco comprising the stems of the tobacco plant designatedNC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sample seed of said cultivar havingbeen deposited with the ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056. In yetanother aspect, the present disclosure provides a cured tobaccocomprising the stems of the hybrid tobacco plant designated NC 8 SRC.Seeds of hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC are obtainable by crossing plants ofcultivars NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC and CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC and collectingseeds.

In an aspect, the present disclosure provides a cured tobacco comprisingthe leaves and stems of the tobacco plants designated NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC,a representative sample seed of said cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046. In another aspect, thepresent disclosure provides a cured tobacco comprising the leaves andstems of the tobacco plants designated CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, arepresentative sample seed of said cultivar having been deposited withthe ATCC under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071. In an aspect, the presentdisclosure provides a cured tobacco comprising the leaves and stems ofthe tobacco plants designated NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a representative sampleseed of said cultivar having been deposited with the ATCC under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121056. In yet another aspect, the present disclosureprovides a cured tobacco comprising the leaves and stems of the hybridtobacco plants designated NC 8 SRC. Seeds of hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRCare obtainable by crossing plants of cultivars NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC and CMSNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC and collecting seeds.

The present disclosure also provides a container of NC174 SRC, CMS NC174SRC, NC821-11 SRC, or hybrid NC 5 SRC seeds or other seeds of thepresent disclosure in which alkaloids obtained from tobacco plants grownfrom greater than about 50% of the seeds have decreased nornicotine. Inanother aspect, alkaloids obtained from NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC,NC821-11 SRC, or hybrid NC 5 SRC plants or other plants of the presentdisclosure grown from greater than about 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%,85%, 90%, or 95% of the seeds in the container have decreasednornicotine, representative samples of seeds of these cultivars havingbeen deposited with the ATCC, for example, under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121048 for NC174 SRC, ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069 for CMS NC174SRC, and/or ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050 for NC821-11 SRC. Seeds ofhybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC are obtainable by crossing plants of cultivarsNC821-11 SRC and CMS NC174 SRC and collecting seeds.

The container of NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, or hybrid NC 5SRC seeds or other seeds of the present disclosure may contain anynumber, weight or volume of seeds. For example, a container can containat least, or greater than, about 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800,900, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 3500, 4000 or more seeds.Alternatively, the container can contain at least, or greater than,about 1 ounce, 5 ounces, 10 ounces, 1 pound, 2 pounds, 3 pounds, 4pounds, 5 pounds or more seeds. Representative samples of seeds of thesecultivars having been deposited with the ATCC, for example, under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121048 for NC174 SRC, ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069for CMS NC174 SRC, or ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050 for NC821-11 SRC.Seeds of hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC are obtainable by crossing plants ofcultivars NC821-11 SRC and CMS NC174 SRC and collecting seeds.

Containers of NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC or hybrid NC 5 SRCseeds or other seeds of the present disclosure may be any containeravailable in the art. By way of a non-limiting example, a container maybe a box, a bag, a packet, a pouch, a tape roll, a pail, a foil, or atube. Representative samples of seeds of these cultivars having beendeposited with the ATCC, for example, under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121048 for NC174 SRC, ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069 for CMS NC174SRC, and/or ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050 for NC821-11 SRC. Seeds ofhybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC are obtainable by crossing plants of cultivarsNC821-11 SRC and CMS NC174 SRC and collecting seeds.

In another aspect, the present disclosure also provides a container ofNC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, or hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC inwhich greater than about 50% of NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC,or hybrid NC 5 SRC seeds or other seeds of the present disclosure havedecreased nornicotine. Representative samples of seeds of thesecultivars having been deposited with the ATCC, for example under ATCCAccession No. PTA-121048 for NC174 SRC, ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069for CMS NC174 SRC, and/or ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050 for NC821-11SRC. Seeds of hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC are obtainable by crossing plantsof cultivars NC821-11 SRC and CMS NC174 SRC and collecting seeds.

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a seed of a NC174 SRC,CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, or hybrid NC 5 SRC plant or other plant ofthe present disclosure in which a plant grown from a seed is malesterile. Representative samples of seeds of these cultivars having beendeposited with the ATCC, for example, under ATCC Accession No.PTA-121048 for NC174 SRC, ATCC Accession No. PTA-121069 for CMS NC174SRC, ATCC Accession No. PTA-121050 for NC821-11 SRC. Seeds of hybridcultivar NC 5 SRC are obtainable by crossing plants of cultivarsNC821-11 SRC and CMS NC174 SRC and collecting seeds.

The present disclosure also provides a container of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC,CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, or hybrid NC 8 SRC seeds orother seeds of the present disclosure in which alkaloids obtained fromtobacco plants grown from greater than about 50% of the seeds havedecreased nornicotine. In another aspect, alkaloids obtained from NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, or hybrid NC 8SRC plants or other plants of the present disclosure grown from greaterthan about 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95% of the seedsin the container have decreased nornicotine, representative samples ofseeds of these cultivars having been deposited with the ATCC, forexample, under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046 for NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, ATCCAccession No. PTA-121071 for CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, and/or ATCCAccession No. PTA-121056 for NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC. Seeds of hybrid cultivarNC 8 SRC are obtainable by crossing plants of cultivars NC645 Bmr/BmrSRC and CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC and collecting seeds.

The container of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/BmrSRC, or hybrid NC 8 SRC seeds or other seeds of the present disclosuremay contain any number, weight or volume of seeds. For example, acontainer can contain at least, or greater than, about 100, 200, 300,400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 3500, 4000or more seeds. Alternatively, the container can contain at least, orgreater than, about 1 ounce, 5 ounces, 10 ounces, 1 pound, 2 pounds, 3pounds, 4 pounds, 5 pounds or more seeds. Representative samples ofseeds of these cultivars having been deposited with the ATCC, forexample, under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046 for NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, ATCCAccession No. PTA-121071 for CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, or ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121056 for NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC. Seeds of hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRCare obtainable by crossing plants of cultivars NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC and CMSNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC and collecting seeds.

Containers of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/BmrSRC or hybrid NC 8 SRC seeds or other seeds of the present disclosuremay be any container available in the art. By way of a non-limitingexample, a container may be a box, a bag, a packet, a pouch, a taperoll, a pail, a foil, or a tube. Representative samples of seeds ofthese cultivars having been deposited with the ATCC, for example, underATCC Accession No. PTA-121046 for NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, ATCC Accession No.PTA-121071 for CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, and/or ATCC Accession No.PTA-121056 for NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC. Seeds of hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC areobtainable by crossing plants of cultivars NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC and CMSNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC and collecting seeds.

In another aspect, the present disclosure also provides a container ofNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, or hybridcultivar NC 8 SRC in which greater than about 50% of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC,CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, or hybrid NC 8 SRC seeds orother seeds of the present disclosure have decreased nornicotine.Representative samples of seeds of these cultivars having been depositedwith the ATCC, for example under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046 for NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071 for CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC,and/or ATCC Accession No. PTA-121056 for NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC. Seeds ofhybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC are obtainable by crossing plants of cultivarsNC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC and CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC and collecting seeds.

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a seed of a NC775 Bmr/BmrSRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, or hybrid NC775Bmr/BmrXNC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC plant or other plant of the present disclosurein which a plant grown from a seed is male sterile. Representativesamples of seeds of these cultivars having been deposited with the ATCC,for example, under ATCC Accession No. PTA-121046 for NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC,ATCC Accession No. PTA-121071 for CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121056 for NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC. Seeds of hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRCare obtainable by crossing plants of cultivars NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC and CMSNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC and collecting seeds.

Tobacco material obtained from the tobacco lines, varieties or hybridsof the present disclosure can be used to make tobacco productsincluding, without limitation, cigarette products (e.g., cigarettes andbidi cigarettes), cigar products (e.g., cigar wrapping tobacco andcigarillos), pipe tobacco products, smokeless cigarette products,smokeless tobacco products (e.g., moist snuff, dry snuff, and chewingtobacco), films, chewables, tabs, shaped parts, gels, consumable units,insoluble matrices, hollow shapes and the like. See, e.g., U.S. PatentPublication No. US 2006/0191548, which is herein incorporated byreference in its entirety.

Tobacco products derived from plants of the present disclosure alsoinclude cigarettes and other smoking articles, particularly thosesmoking articles including filter elements, wherein the rod of smokeablematerial includes cured tobacco within a tobacco blend. In an aspect, atobacco product can include but is not limited to pipe tobacco, cigartobacco, cigarette tobacco, chewing tobacco, leaf tobacco, shreddedtobacco, and/or cut tobacco or any combination thereof.

In an aspect, a tobacco product of the instant disclosure is selectedfrom the group consisting of a cigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filtercigarette, a vented recess filter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, pipetobacco, cigar tobacco, cigarette tobacco, chewing tobacco, leaftobacco, hookah tobacco, shredded tobacco, and cut tobacco. In anotheraspect, a tobacco product of the instant disclosure is a smokelesstobacco product. In a further aspect, a tobacco product of the instantdisclosure is selected from the group consisting of loose leaf chewingtobacco, plug chewing tobacco, moist snuff, and nasal snuff. In yetanother aspect, a tobacco product of the instant disclosure is selectedfrom the group consisting of an electronically heated cigarette, ane-cigarette, an electronic vaporing device.

In an aspect, the tobacco product of the present disclosure can be ablended tobacco product. In other aspects of the disclosure, the tobaccoproduct of the present disclosure can be a reduced nicotine tobaccoproduct. In still other aspects, the tobacco product of the presentdisclosure can be a blended tobacco product with reduced nicotinecontent. Thus, the tobacco product of the present disclosure can be ablended reduced nicotine tobacco product. Tobacco product materialcomprises a blend of tobacco materials from the present disclosure,wherein the blend comprises at least about 5, 10, 29, 30, 40, 50, 60,70, 80, 90, or 95 percent by weight of a cured tobacco, or any rangetherein, based on the dry weight of the tobacco material. US2008/0245377 is herein incorporated by reference for blend mixtures inits entirety.

In an aspect, tobacco products having a reduced amount of nitrosaminecontent can be manufactured using tobacco plant material from plants andplant parts of the present disclosure. Thus, in some aspects, a tobaccoproduct manufactured using tobacco plant material from plants and plantparts of the present disclosure can comprise a reduced amount ofnornicotine of less than about 3 mg/g. For example, the nornicotinecontent in such a product can be 3.0 mg/g, 2.5 mg/g, 2.0 mg/g, 1.5 mg/g,1.0 mg/g, 750 μg/g, 500 μg/g, 250 μg/g, 100 μg/g, 75 μg/g, 50 μg/g, 25μg/g, 10 μg/g, 5 μg/g, 1 μg/g, 750 ng/g, 500 ng/g, 250 ng/g, 100 ng/g,75 ng/g, 50 ng/g, 25 ng/g, 10 ng/g, 5 ng/g, 1 ng/g, 750 pg/g, 500 pg/g,250 pg/g, 100 pg/g, 75 pg/g, 50 pg/g, 25 pg/g, 10 pg/g, 7.0 pg/g, 5.0pg/g, 4.0 pg/g, 2.0 pg/g, 1.0 pg/g, 0.5 pg/g, 0.4 pg/g, 0.2 pg/g, 0.1pg/g, 0.05 pg/g, 0.01 pg/g, or undetectable, or any range therein. Thetobacco product typically has a reduced amount of NNN of less than about10 pg/g. For example, the NNN content in such a product can be about 10pg/g, 7.0 pg/g, 5.0 pg/g, 4.0 pg/g, 2.0 pg/g, 1.0 pg/g, 0.5 pg/g, 0.4pg/g, 9.2 pg/g, 0.1 pg/g, 0.05 pg/g, 0.01 pg/g, or undetectable, or anyrange therein. The percentage of secondary alkaloids relative to totalalkaloid content contained in a plant of the present disclosure may notbe statistically different than from a commercial seedlot of NC174,NC821-11, NC775 Bmr/Bmr, NC645 Bmr/Bmr, or hybrid cultivar NC 5 LC or NC8 LC.

A tobacco plant of the present disclosure designated NC174 SRC, CMSNC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC, or hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC or NC 8 SRC, carrying thecyp82e4 W329Stop, the cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S alleles canbe used in a plant breeding program to create useful lines, cultivars,varieties, progeny, inbreds, and hybrids. Thus, in some aspects, an F₁,F₂, F₃, or later generation tobacco plant containing the cyp82e4W329Stop, the cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S alleles is crossedwith a second Nicotiana plant, and progeny of the cross are identifiedin which the cyp82e4 W329Stop, the cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10P381S alleles are present. It will be appreciated that the secondNicotiana plant can be NC174, CMS NC174, NC821-11, NC775 Bmr/Bmr, CMSNC775 Bmr/Bmr, NC645 Bmr/Bmr or any other Nicotiana species or line,optionally with an additional desirable trait, such as herbicideresistance.

In still other aspects, methods of the present disclosure furtherinclude self-pollinating or pollinating a male sterile pollen acceptorwith a pollen donor capable of being used in production of a progenyplant of the present disclosure, such as a male sterile hybrid of thepresent disclosure. Either the male sterile pollen acceptor plant or thepollen donor plant has at least one mutant allele, two, or even threemutant alleles at a nicotine demethylase locus, such as the cyp82e4W329Stop, cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S alleles. In an aspect,all three alleles at each nicotine demethylase locus are mutant alleles,making the plant homozygous for cyp82e4 W329Stop, the cyp82e5v2W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S.

Breeding can be carried out via any known procedures. DNAfingerprinting, SNP or similar technologies may be used in amarker-assisted selection (MAS) breeding program to transfer or breedmutant alleles of a nicotine demethylase gene into other tobaccos. Forexample, a breeder can create segregating populations fromhybridizations of a genotype containing cyp82e4 W329Stop, cyp82e5v2W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S alleles with an agronomically desirablegenotype. Plants in the F₂ or backcross generations can be screenedusing a marker developed from cyp82e4 W329Stop, the cyp82e5v2 W422Stop,or cyp82e10 P381S alleles or a fragment thereof, using one of thetechniques known in the art or disclosed herein. Plants identified aspossessing one or more cyp82e4 W329Stop, the cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, andcyp82e10 P381S alleles can be backcrossed or self-pollinated to create asecond population to be screened. Depending on the expected inheritancepattern or the MAS technology used, it may be necessary toself-pollinate the selected plants before each cycle of backcrossing toaid identification of the desired individual plants. Backcrossing orother breeding procedure can be repeated until the desired phenotype ofthe recurrent parent is recovered. A recurrent parent in the presentdisclosure can be NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, NC775 Bmr/BmrSRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC 5 SRC or NC 8 SRC.Other breeding techniques can be found, for example, in Wernsman, E. A.,and Rufty, R. C., 1987. Chapter Seventeen. Tobacco. pages 669-698 In:Cultivar Development. Crop Species. W. H. Fehr (ed.), MacMillanPublishing Go., Inc., New York, N.Y., incorporated herein by referencein their entireties.

Nicotiana species which exhibit breeding compatibility with Nicotianatabacum include Nicotiana amplexicaulis, PI 271989; Nicotianabenthamiana PI 555478; Nicotiana bigelovii PI 555485; Nicotiana debneyi;Nicotiana excelsior PI 224063; Nicotiana glutinosa PI 555507; Nicotianagoodspeedii PI 241012; Nicotiana gossei PI 230953; Nicotiana hesperis PI271991; Nicotiana knightiana PI 555527; Nicotiana maritima PI 555535;Nicotiana megalosiphon PI 555536; Nicotiana nudicaulis PI 555540;Nicotiana paniculata PI 555545; Nicotiana plumbaginifolia PI 555548;Nicotiana repanda PI 555552; Nicotiana rustica; Nicotiana suaveolens PI230960; Nicotiana sylvestris PI 555569; Nicotiana tomentosa PI 266379;Nicotiana tomentosiformis; and Nicotiana trigonophylla PI 555572. Seealso, Compendium of Tobacco Diseases published by AmericanPhytopathology Society, or The Genus Nicotiana Illustrated, published byJapan Tobacco Inc, hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

The result of a plant breeding program using the mutant tobacco plantsdescribed herein includes useful lines, cultivars, varieties, progeny,inbreds, and hybrids. As used herein, the term “cultivar” or “variety”refers to a population of plants that share constant characteristicswhich separate them from other plants of the same species. A cultivar orvariety is often, although not always, sold commercially. Whilepossessing one or more distinctive traits, a cultivar or variety isfurther characterized by a very small overall variation betweenindividuals within that cultivar or variety. A “pure line” variety maybe created by several generations of self-pollination and selection, orvegetative propagation from a single parent using tissue or cell culturetechniques. A cultivar or variety can be essentially derived fromanother cultivar, line, or variety. As defined by the InternationalConvention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (Dec. 2, 1961,as revised at Geneva on Nov. 10, 1972, on Oct. 23, 1978, and on Mar. 19,1991), a cultivar or variety is “essentially derived” from an initialcultivar or variety if: a) it is predominantly derived from the initialcultivar or variety, or from a cultivar or variety that is predominantlyderived from the initial cultivar or variety, while retaining theexpression of the essential characteristics that result from thegenotype or combination of genotypes of the initial cultivar or variety;b) it is clearly distinguishable from the initial cultivar or variety;and c) except for the differences which result from the act ofderivation, it conforms to the initial cultivar or variety in theexpression of the essential characteristics that result from thegenotype or combination of genotypes of the initial cultivar or variety.Essentially derived varieties can be obtained, for example, by theselection of a natural or induced mutant, a somaclonal variant, avariant individual from plants of the initial cultivar or variety,backcrossing, or transformation. A “line” as distinguished from acultivar or variety most often denotes a group of plants usednon-commercially, for example in plant research. A line typicallydisplays little overall variation between individuals for one or moretraits of interest, although there may be some variation betweenindividuals for other traits.

Hybrid tobacco varieties can be produced by preventing self-pollinationof female parent plants (i.e., seed parents) of a first variety,permitting pollen from male parent plants of a second variety tofertilize the female parent plants, and allowing F₁ hybrid seeds to formon the female plants. Self-pollination of female plants can be preventedby emasculating the flowers at an early stage of flower development.Alternatively, pollen formation can be prevented on the female parentplants using a form of male sterility. For example, male sterility canbe produced by cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS), or transgenic malesterility wherein a transgene inhibits microsporogenesis and/or pollenformation, or self-incompatibility. Female parent plants containing CMSare particularly useful. In aspects in which the female parent plantsare CMS, pollen may be harvested from male fertile plants and appliedmanually to the stigmas of CMS female parent plants, and the resultingF₁ seed is harvested.

Plants can be used to form single-cross tobacco F₁ hybrids. In such anaspect, the plants of the parent varieties can be grown as substantiallyhomogeneous adjoining populations to facilitate naturalcross-pollination from the male parent plants to the female parentplants. The F₁ seed formed on the female parent plants is selectivelyharvested by conventional means. One also can grow the two parent plantvarieties in bulk and harvest a blend of F₁ hybrid seed formed on thefemale parent and seed formed upon the male parent as the result ofself-pollination. Alternatively, three-way crosses can be carried outwherein a single-cross F₁ hybrid is used as a female parent and iscrossed with a different male parent. As another alternative,double-cross hybrids can be created wherein the F₁ progeny of twodifferent single-crosses are themselves crossed. Self-incompatibilitycan be used to particular advantage to prevent self-pollination offemale parents when forming a double-cross hybrid.

Successful crosses yield F₁ plants that are fertile, have cyp82e4W329Stop, cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S alleles, and can bebackcrossed with one of the parents, such as NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC,NC821-11 SRC, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/BmrSRC, NC 5 SRC, or NC 8 SRC, if desired. In some aspects, a plantpopulation in the F₂ generation is screened for cyp82e4 W329Stop, thecyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S alleles. Selected plants can becrossed with one of the parents and the first backcross (BC1) generationplants are self-pollinated to produce a BC1 F₂ population that is againscreened for variant nicotine demethylase gene expression (e.g., thenull version of the nicotine demethylase gene). The process ofbackcrossing, self-pollination, and screening is repeated, for example,at least four times, until the final screening produces a plant that isfertile and reasonably similar to the recurrent parent. This plant, ifdesired, is self-pollinated and the progeny are subsequently screenedagain to confirm that the plant exhibits the same low nicotineconversion phenotype as NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC 5 SRC, NC 8SRC. Breeder's seed of the selected plant is produced using standardmethods including, for example, field testing, confirmation of the nullcondition for nicotine demethylase, chemical analyses of cured leaf todetermine the level of alkaloids and/or chemical analyses of cured leafto determine the ratio of nornicotine to nicotine+nornicotine.

In one aspect, a F₁ progeny is the result of a cross between NC174 SRCand CMS NC174 SRC to generate F₁ progeny that are male sterile. Inanother aspect, a F₁ progeny is the result of a cross between NC821-11SRC and CMS NC174 SRC to generate F₁ progeny that are male sterile. Inone aspect, an F₁ progeny is the result of a cross between NC775 Bmr/BmrSRC and CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC to generate F₁ progeny that are malesterile. In another aspect, an F₁ progeny is the result of a crossbetween NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC and CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC to generate F₁progeny that are male sterile. Male sterile tobacco plants may beproduced by any method known in the art. Methods of producing malesterile tobacco are described in Wernsman, E. A., and Rufty, R. C. 1987.Chapter Seventeen. Tobacco. Pages 669-698 In: Cultivar Development. CropSpecies. W. H. Fehr (ed.), MacMillan Publishing Go., Inc., New York,N.Y. 761 pp.

The present disclosure further provides methods of producing a tobaccoplant by crossing one of cultivars NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11SRC and hybrid NC 5 SRC with itself or a different tobacco line. Thedisclosure further relates to methods for producing other tobaccocultivars or breeding lines derived from cultivars NC174 SRC, CMS NC174SRC, NC821-11 SRC, and hybrid NC 5 SRC by crossing a plant of cultivarsNC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, and hybrid NC 5 SRC with asecond tobacco plant and growing the progeny seed to yield a NC174 SRC,CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, or hybrid NC 5 SRC-derived tobacco plant.An additional aspect of the present disclosure provides a method forproducing a tobacco plant that contains in its genetic material one ormore transgenes, comprising crossing cultivars of the present disclosurewith a second cultivar containing one or more transgenes wherein progenyare produced, so that the genetic material of the progeny that resultfrom the cross comprise the transgene(s) optionally operably linked toone or more regulatory elements. In one aspect, the second cultivar maybe a plant derived from cultivars NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11SRC, or hybrid NC 5 SRC transformed with one or more transgenes.

The disclosure further provides for the vegetative propagation of aplant of cultivars NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, and hybrid NC5 SRC, hybrids and progeny thereof. In one aspect, the disclosureprovides for a method of vegetatively propagating a plant of a tobaccocultivar comprising collecting tissue capable of being propagated from aplant of cultivars NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, and hybrid NC5 SRC, cultivating the tissue to obtain a proliferated shoot and rootingthe proliferated shoots to obtain a rooted plantlet. In another aspect,the plant tissue may be collected from an F₁ hybrid of a plant ofcultivars NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, and hybrid NC 5 SRC.In an aspect, the plant tissue may be collected from an F₂, F₃, F₄ orlater progeny plant obtained by breeding a plant of cultivars NC174 SRC,CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, and hybrid NC 5 SRC.

The present disclosure further provides methods of producing a tobaccoplant by crossing one of cultivars NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/BmrSRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC and hybrid NC 8 SRC with itself or a differenttobacco line. The disclosure further relates to methods for producingother tobacco cultivars or breeding lines derived from cultivars NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, and hybrid NC 8SRC by crossing a plant of cultivars NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, and hybrid NC 8 SRC with a secondtobacco plant and growing the progeny seed to yield a NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC,CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, or hybrid NC 8 SRC-derivedtobacco plant. An additional aspect of the present disclosure provides amethod for producing a tobacco plant that contains in its geneticmaterial one or more transgenes, comprising crossing cultivars of thepresent disclosure with a second cultivar containing one or moretransgenes wherein progeny are produced, so that the genetic material ofthe progeny that result from the cross comprise the transgene(s)optionally operably linked to one or more regulatory elements. In oneaspect, the second cultivar may be a plant derived from cultivars NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, or hybrid NC 8SRC transformed with one or more transgenes.

The disclosure further provides for the vegetative propagation of aplant of cultivars NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC, and hybrid NC 8 SRC, hybrids and progeny thereof. In oneaspect, the disclosure provides for a method of vegetatively propagatinga plant of a tobacco cultivar comprising collecting tissue capable ofbeing propagated from a plant of cultivars NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, and hybrid NC 8 SRC, cultivating thetissue to obtain a proliferated shoot and rooting the proliferatedshoots to obtain a rooted plantlet. In another aspect, the plant tissuemay be collected from an F₁ hybrid of a plant of cultivars NC775 Bmr/BmrSRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, and hybrid NC 8 SRC. Inan aspect, the plant tissue may be collected from an F₂, F₃, F₄ or laterprogeny plant obtained by breeding a plant of cultivars NC775 Bmr/BmrSRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, and hybrid NC 8 SRC.

A plant comprising a mutation in a nicotine demethylase gene can beidentified by selecting or screening the mutagenized plant material, orprogeny thereof. Such screening and selection methodologies are known tothose having ordinary skill in the art. Examples of screening andselection methodologies include, but are not limited to, Southernanalysis, PCR amplification for detection of a polynucleotide, Northernblots, RNase protection, primer-extension, RT-PCR amplification fordetecting RNA transcripts, enzymatic assays for detecting enzyme orribozyme activity of polypeptides and polynucleotides, and protein gelelectrophoresis, Western blots, immunoprecipitation, and enzyme-linkedimmunoassays to detect polypeptides. Other techniques such as in situhybridization, enzyme staining, and immunostaining also can be used todetect the presence or expression of polypeptides and/orpolynucleotides. Methods for performing all of the referenced techniquesare known.

It is understood that a tobacco plant of the present disclosure,including NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMSNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, and hybrid cultivars NC 5 SRC andNC 8 SRC, can be transformed by a genetic construct (nucleic acidconstruct) or transgene using any technique known in the art. Withoutlimitation, an example of a desired trait can include herbicideresistance, pest resistance, disease resistance, high yield, high gradeindex, curability, curing quality, mechanical harvestability, holdingability, leaf quality, height, plant maturation (e.g., early maturing,early to medium maturing, medium maturing, medium to late maturing, orlate maturing), stalk size (e.g., small, medium, or large stalk), orleaf number per plant (e.g., small (e.g., 5-10 leaves), medium (e.g.,11-15 leaves), or large (e.g., 16-21) number of leaves), or anycombination. Any plant of the present disclosure can be used as a basisfor tissue culture, regeneration, transformed, or a combination of anyof these. In an aspect, a plant of the present disclosure derived bytissue culture, transformation, or both has all, or essentially all, ofthe morphological and physiological characteristics of cultivar NC174SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/BmrSRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, or hybrid NC 5 SRC or NC 8 SRC.

Having now generally described the disclosure, the same will be morereadily understood through reference to the following examples that areprovided by way of illustration, and are not intended to be limiting ofthe present disclosure, unless specified.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Breeding of Homozygous cyp82e4 W329Stop, thecyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S Mutant Plants into theNC174Burley Tobacco Cultivar

NC174 SRC is a backcross-derived version of burley tobacco cultivarNC174 carrying introduced mutations in three genes (CYP82E4 (SEQ ID NO:5), CYP82E5 (SEQ ID NO: 8), and CYP82E10 (SEQ ID NO: 9)) previouslydocumented to encode for nicotine demethylase enzymes (Lewis et al.,2010). The introduced mutations in CYP82E4 (cyp82e4 W329Stop (SEQ ID NO:1)) and CYP82E5 (cyp82e5v2 W422Stop (SEQ ID NO: 2)) encode for prematurestop codons which render the genes non-functional. The introducedmutation in CYP82E10 (cyp82e10 P381S (SEQ ID NO: 11)) does not encodefor a premature stop codon, but does render the gene productnon-functional for converting nicotine to nornicotine (Lewis et al.2010). When in homozygous condition, the three mutations result intobacco plants with (1) reduced genetic capacity to demethylate nicotineto form nornicotine, and (2) a corresponding diminished potential toaccumulate N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), a potent carcinogen found in manytobacco products. The mutation in CYP82E4 (cyp82e4 W329Stop (SEQ ID NO:1)) also provides phenotypic stability for the “nicotine conversion”trait and eliminates the requirement to utilize the cumbersome “LC”method for reducing levels of nornicotine in tobacco cultivars.

The original tobacco cultivar NC174 is a fertile inbred line. CMS NC174is a cytoplasmic male-sterile version of NC174. To develop NC174 SRC, anindividual plant of NC174 is pollinated with a plant of the geneticbackground DH98-325-6 carrying mutations in each of the three nicotinedemethylase genes. F₁ individuals originating from this cross andheterozygous for each mutation are backcrossed to the recurrent parent,NC174, to produce BC₁F₁ progeny. BC₁F₁ progeny are screened usinggenotyping methodologies to identify individuals heterozygous for allthree mutations. A single triple heterozygous BC₁F₁ plant is backcrossedto NC174 to produce BC₂F₁ progeny. The process of backcrossing andidentification of individuals heterozygous for all three mutations isrepeated through the BC₃F₁, BC₄F₁, BC₅F₁, BC₆F₁, and BC₇F₁ stages. Atthe BC₇F₁ stage, individuals heterozygous for all three mutations fromeach pedigree are self-pollinated to produce BC₇F₂ seed. A large numberof BC₇F₂ progeny from each pedigree are genotyped to identifyindividuals homozygous for all three mutations. A single BC₇F₂ planthomozygous for all three mutations is self-pollinated to produce a BC₇F₃family (NC174 SRC) in which the wild-type CYP82E4, CYP82E5v2, andCYP82E10 alleles of NC174 were replaced by the mutant alleles (cyp82e4W329Stop, cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S).

The male-sterile (CMS) version of NC174 SRC (CMS NC174 SRC) is producedby crossing a plant of CMS NC174 as a female with pollen of NC174 SRC toproduce male-sterile plants heterozygous for all three mutations. Asingle male-sterile plant resulting from this cross is then subsequentlybackcrossed as a female to NC174 SRC to produce progeny that aresegregating for individuals homozygous for all three mutations. Triplehomozygous individuals are identified by DNA genotyping to produce theCMS NC174 SRC line. Because the line is male-sterile, it is maintainedvia pollination with NC174 SRC.

Commercial NC174 SRC is produced by pollinating plants of CMS NC174 SRCwith pollen of NC174 SRC.

Example 2 Testing of NC174 SRC

NC174 SRC is evaluated for cured leaf chemistry, yield, and physicalquality at two North Carolina field research locations during 2013(Reidsville and Waynesville). NC174 is included for comparison. Theexperimental design at each location is a randomized complete blockdesign with four replications. Experimental units are single 20-plantplots. Plots are harvested and air-cured. Plot weights are used todetermine per acre yields. Cured leaf is evaluated by a former USDAtobacco grader. Fifty gram composite leaf samples are collected fromeach plot and analyzed for percent nicotine, nornicotine, anatabine,anabasine, and percent nicotine conversion using gas chromatographyequipment.

Comparisons using the least significant difference (LSD) test indicatesthat NC174 SRC has lower levels of nornicotine and percent nicotineconversion relative to NC174 (Table 1). NC174 and NC174 SRC are notsignificantly different from each other for percent nicotine but aresignificantly different for yield and cured leaf quality indices.

Example 3 Breeding of homozygous cyp82e4 W329Stop, the cyp82e5v2W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S Mutant Plants into the NC821-11 BurleyTobacco Cultivar

NC821-11 SRC is a backcross-derived version of burley tobacco cultivarNC821-11 carrying introduced null mutations in three genes (CYP82E4 (SEQID NO: 5), CYP82E5 (SEQ ID NO: 8), and CYP82E10 (SEQ ID NO: 9))previously documented to encode for nicotine demethylase enzymes (Lewiset al., Phytochemistry, 71 (2010), 1988-1998). The introduced mutationsin CYP82E4 (cyp82e4 W329Stop (SEQ ID NO: 1)) and CYP82E5 (cyp82e5v2W422Stop (SEQ ID NO: 2)) encode for premature stop codons which renderthe genes non-functional. The introduced mutation in CYP82E10 (cyp82e10P381S (SEQ ID NO: 11)) does not encode for a premature stop codon, butdoes render the gene product non-functional for converting nicotine tonornicotine (Id.). When in homozygous condition, the three mutationsresult in tobacco plants with (1) reduced genetic capacity todemethylate nicotine to form nornicotine, and (2) a correspondingdiminished potential to accumulate N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), a potentcarcinogen found in many tobacco products. The mutation in CYP82E4(cyp82e4 W329Stop (SEQ ID NO: 1)) also provides phenotypic stability forthe “nicotine conversion” trait and eliminates the requirement toutilize the cumbersome “LC” method for reducing levels of nornicotine intobacco cultivars (see e.g., Jack et al. 2007. Implications of reducingnornicotine accumulation in burley tobacco: appendix A—the LC protocol.Rec. Adv. Tob. Sci. 33: 58-79).

The original tobacco cultivar NC821-11 is a fertile inbred line. Todevelop NC821-11 SRC, an individual plant of NC821-11 is initiallypollinated with a plant of the genetic background DH98-325-6 carryingmutations in each of the three nicotine demethylase genes. F₁individuals originating from this cross and heterozygous for eachmutation are backcrossed to the recurrent parent, NC821-11, to produceBC₁F₁ progeny. BC₁F₁ progeny are screened using genotyping methodologiesto identify individuals heterozygous for all three mutations. A singletriple heterozygous BC₁F₁ plant is backcrossed to NC821-11 to produceBC₂F₁ progeny. The process of backcrossing and identification ofindividuals heterozygous for all three mutations is repeated through theBC₃F₁, BC₄F₁, BC₅F₁, BC₆F₁, and BC₇F₁ stages. At the BC₇F₁ stage,individuals heterozygous for all three mutations from each pedigree areself-pollinated to produce BC₇F₂ seed. A large number of BC₇F₂ progenyfrom each pedigree are genotyped to identify individuals homozygous forall three mutations. A single BC₇F₂ plant homozygous for all threemutations is self-pollinated to produce a BC₇F₃ family (NC821-11 SRC) inwhich the wild-type CYP82E4, CYP82E5v2, and CYP82E10 alleles of NC821-11were replaced by the mutant alleles (cyp82e4 W329Stop, cyp82e5v2W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S).

Example 4 Testing of NC821-11 SRC

NC821-11 SRC is evaluated for cured leaf chemistry, yield, and physicalquality at two North Carolina field research locations during 2013(Reidsville and Waynesville). NC821-11 is included for comparison. Theexperimental design at each location is a randomized complete blockdesign with four replications. Experimental units are single 20-plantplots. Plots are harvested and air-cured. Plot weights are used todetermine per acre yields. Cured leaf is evaluated by a former USDAtobacco grader. Fifty gram composite leaf samples are collected fromeach plot and analyzed for percent nicotine, nornicotine, anatabine,anabasine, and percent nicotine conversion using gas chromatographyequipment.

Comparisons using the least significant difference (LSD) test indicatedthat NC821-11 SRC has lower levels of nornicotine and percent nicotineconversion relative to NC821-11 (Table 1). NC821-11 and NC821-11 SRC arenot significantly different from each other for percent nicotine, yield,or cured leaf quality indices.

Example 5 Breeding of Homozygous cyp82e4 W329Stop, the cyp82e5v2W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S Mutant Plants into the NC 5 LC BurleyTobacco Cultivar

The original tobacco cultivar NC 5 LC is a hybrid generated bypollinating plants of a male-sterile breeding line CMS NC174 with pollenproduced by fertile breeding line NC821-11. Hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC isa hybrid generated by pollinating plants of a male-sterile breeding lineCMS NC174 SRC with pollen produced by fertile breeding line NC821-11 SRCwith each breeding line carrying introduced deleterious mutations inthree genes (CYP82E4 (SEQ ID NO: 5), CYP82E5 (SEQ ID NO: 8), andCYP82E10 (SEQ ID NO: 9)) previously documented to encode for nicotinedemethylase enzymes (Lewis et al., Phytochemistry, 71 (2010),1988-1998). The introduced mutations in CYP82E4 (cyp82e4 W329Stop (SEQID NO: 1)) and CYP82E5 (cyp82e5v2 W422Stop (SEQ ID NO: 2)) encode forpremature stop codons which render the genes non-functional. Theintroduced mutation in CYP82E10 (cyp82e10 P381S (SEQ ID NO: 11)) doesnot encode for a premature stop codon, but does render the gene productnon-functional for converting nicotine to nornicotine (Id.). When inhomozygous condition, the three mutations result in tobacco plants with(1) reduced genetic capacity to demethylate nicotine to formnornicotine, and (2) a corresponding diminished potential to accumulateN-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), a potent carcinogen found in many tobaccoproducts. The mutation in CYP82E4 (cyp82e4 W329Stop (SEQ ID NO: 1)) alsoprovides phenotypic stability for the “nicotine conversion” trait andeliminates the requirement to utilize the cumbersome “LC” method forreducing levels of nornicotine in tobacco cultivars (see e.g., Jack etal. 2007. Implications of reducing nornicotine accumulation in burleytobacco: appendix A—the LC protocol. Rec. Adv. Tob. Sci. 33: 58-79).

The original tobacco cultivar NC 5 LC is a hybrid generated bypollinating plants of a male-sterile breeding line CMS NC174 with pollenproduced by fertile breeding line NC821-11. To develop hybrid cultivarNC 5 SRC, individual plants of fertile NC174 are first pollinated with aplant of the genetic background DH98-325-6 carrying mutations in each ofthe three nicotine demethylase genes. F₁ individuals originating fromeach cross and heterozygous for each mutation are backcrossed to therecurrent parent (NC174) to produce BC₁F₁ progenies.

BC₁F₁ progenies are screened using genotyping methodologies to identifyindividuals heterozygous for all three mutations. A single BC₁F₁ plantfrom each pedigree is backcrossed to NC174, to produce BC₂F₁ progenies.The process of backcrossing and identification of individualsheterozygous for all three mutations is repeated through the BC₃F₁,BC₄F₁, BC₅F₁, BC₆F₁, and BC₇F₁ stages. At the BC₇F₁ stage, individualsheterozygous for all three mutations from each pedigree areself-pollinated to produce BC₇F₂ seed. A large number of BC₇F₂ progenyfrom each pedigree are genotyped to identify individuals homozygous forall three mutations. BC₇F₂ plants homozygous for all three mutations areself-pollinated to produce BC₇F₃ families (NC174 SRC) in which thewild-type CYP82E4, CYP82E5v2, and CYP82E10 alleles of NC174 are replacedby the mutant alleles (cyp82e4 W329Stop, cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, andcyp82e10 P381S).

The female parental line of NC174, CMS NC174, is cytoplasmic malesterile which causes pollen to not be produced. To develop CMS NC174SRC, a plant of CMS NC174 is crossed with NC174 SRC to producemale-sterile plants heterozygous for all three mutations. A singlemale-sterile plant resulting from this cross is backcrossed as a femaleto NC174 SRC to produce progeny that are segregating for individualshomozygous for all three mutations. Triple homozygous individuals areidentified by DNA genotyping to produce the CMS NC174 SRC line. Becausethe line is male-sterile, it is maintained via pollination with NC174SRC (see above).

Hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC is produced by pollinating plants of CMS NC174SRC with pollen of NC821-11 SRC.

Example 6 Testing of Hybrid Cultivar NC 5 SRC

Hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC is evaluated for cured leaf chemistry, yield,and physical quality at two North Carolina field research locationsduring 2013 (Reidsville and Waynesville). The experimental design ateach location is a randomized complete block design with fourreplications. Experimental units are single 20-plant plots. Plots areharvested and air-cured. Plot weights are used to determine per acreyields. Cured leaf is evaluated by a former USDA tobacco grader. Fiftygram composite leaf samples are collected from each plot and analyzedfor percent nicotine, nornicotine, anatabine, anabasine, and percentnicotine conversion using gas chromatography equipment.

Comparisons using the least significant difference (LSD) test indicatesthat hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC has significantly (P<0.05) lower levels ofnornicotine and percent nicotine conversion relative to NC 5LC (Table1). NC 5LC and hybrid cultivar NC 5 SRC are not significantly differentfrom each other for percent nicotine, yield, or cured leaf qualityindices.

Example 7 Breeding of NC775 Bmr/Bmr and NC645 Bmr/Bmr

A major blue mold resistance gene designated as Bmr (Milla, S. M., J. S.Levin, R. S. Lewis, and R. C. Rufty (2005) RAPD and SCAR markersassociated with an introgressed gene conditioning resistance toPeronospora tabacina D.B. Adam. in tobacco. Crop Science 45:2346-2354)is first introduced into NC775 and NC645 using a backcross breedingprocedure. Individual plants of fertile NC775 and NC645 are firstpollinated with NC2000 which is homozygous for Bmr. F₁ individualsheterozygous for Bmr are backcrossed to the recurrent parents (NC775 orNC645) to produce BC₁F₁ progenies. BC₁F₁ progenies are screened for Bmrusing associated DNA markers (Milla et al., 2005) to identify individualheterozygous for Bmr. A single BC₁F₁ plant from each pedigree isbackcrossed to either NC775 or NC645, respectively, to produce BC₂F₁progenies. The process of backcrossing to either NC775 or NC645 isrepeated through the BC₃F₁, BC₄F₁, BC₅F₁, BC₆F₁ and BC₇F₁ stages. At theBC₇F₁ stage, individuals heterozygous for Bmr from each pedigree areself-pollinated to produce BC₇F₂ seed. A large number of BC₇F₂ progenyfrom each pedigree are genotyped to identify individuals homozygous forBmr. Selected BC₇F₂ plants homozygous for Bmr are self-pollinated toproduce BC₇F₃ families designated as NC775 Bmr/Bmr and NC645 Bmr/Bmr.

Example 8 Breeding of Homozygous cyp82e4 W329Stop, the cyp82e5v2W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S Mutant Plants into the NC775 Bmr/Bmr BurleyTobacco Cultivar

NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC is a backcross-derived version of burley tobaccocultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr carrying introduced mutations in three genes(CYP82E4 (SEQ ID NO: 5), CYP82E5 (SEQ ID NO: 8), and CYP82E10 (SEQ IDNO: 9)) previously documented to encode for nicotine demethylase enzymes(Lewis et al., 2010). The introduced mutations in CYP82E4 (cyp82e4W329Stop (SEQ ID NQ: 1)) and CYP82E5 (cyp82e5v2 W422Stop (SEQ ID NO: 2))encode for premature stop codons which render the genes non-functional.The introduced mutation in CYP82E10 (cyp82e10 P381S (SEQ ID NO: 11))does not encode for a premature stop codon, but does render the geneproduct non-functional for converting nicotine to nornicotine (Lewis etal. 2010). When in homozygous condition, the three mutations result intobacco plants with (1) reduced genetic capacity to demethylate nicotineto form nornicotine, and (2) a corresponding diminished potential toaccumulate N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), a potent carcinogen found in manytobacco products. The mutation in CYP82E4 (cyp82e4 W329Stop (SEQ ID NO:1)) also provides phenotypic stability for the “nicotine conversion”trait and eliminates the requirement to utilize the cumbersome “LC”method for reducing levels of nornicotine in tobacco cultivars.

The original tobacco cultivar NC775 Bmr/Bmr is a fertile inbred line.CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr is a cytoplasmic male-sterile version of NC775Bmr/lmr. To develop NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, an individual plant of NC775Bmr/Bmr is pollinated with a plant of the genetic background DH98-325-6carrying mutations in each of the three nicotine demethylase genes. F₁individuals originating from this cross and heterozygous for eachmutation are backcrossed to the recurrent parent, NC775 Bmr/Bmr, toproduce BC₁F₁ progeny. BC₁F₁ progeny are screened using genotypingmethodologies to identify individuals heterozygous for all threemutations. A single triple heterozygous BC₁F₁ plant is backcrossed toNC775 Bmr/Bmr to produce BC₂F₁ progeny. The process of backcrossing andidentification of individuals heterozygous for all three mutations isrepeated through the BC₃F₁, BC₄F₁, BC₅F₁, BC₆F₁, and BC₇F₁ stages. Atthe BC₇F₁ stage, individuals heterozygous for all three mutations fromeach pedigree are self-pollinated to produce BC₇F₂ seed. A large numberof BC₇F₂ progeny from each pedigree are genotyped to identifyindividuals homozygous for all three mutations. A single BC₇F₂ planthomozygous for all three mutations is self-pollinated to produce a BC₇F₃family (NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC) in which the wild-type CYP82E4, CYP82E5v2,and CYP82E10 alleles of NC775 Bmr/Bmr were replaced by the mutantalleles (cyp82e4 W329Stop, cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S).

The male-sterile (CMS) version of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC (CMS NC775 Bmr/BmrSRC) is produced by crossing a plant of CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr as a femalewith pollen of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC to produce male-sterile plantsheterozygous for all three mutations. A single male-sterile plantresulting from this cross is then subsequently backcrossed as a femaleto NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC to produce progeny that are segregating forindividuals homozygous for all three mutations. Triple homozygousindividuals are identified by DNA genotyping to produce the CMS NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC line. Because the line is male-sterile, it is maintained viapollination with NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC.

Commercial NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC is produced by pollinating plants of CMSNC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC with pollen of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC.

Example 9 Testing of NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC

NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC is evaluated for cured leaf chemistry, yield, andphysical quality at two North Carolina field research locations during2013 (Reidsville and Waynesville). NC775 is included for comparison. Theexperimental design at each location is a randomized complete blockdesign with four replications. Experimental units are single 20-plantplots. Plots are harvested and air-cured. Plot weights are used todetermine per acre yields. Cured leaf is evaluated by a former USDAtobacco grader. Fifty gram composite leaf samples are collected fromeach plot and analyzed for percent nicotine, nornicotine, anatabine,anabasine, and percent nicotine conversion using gas chromatographyequipment.

Comparisons using the least significant difference (LSD) test indicatesthat NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC has significantly (P<0.05) lower levels ofnornicotine and percent nicotine conversion relative to NC775 (Table 1).NC775 and NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC are not significantly different from eachother for percent nicotine, yield, or cured leaf quality indices.

Example 10 Breeding of Homozygous cyp82e4 W329Stop, the cyp82e5v2W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S Mutant Plants into the NC645 Bmr/Bmr BurleyTobacco Cultivar

NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC is a backcross-derived version of burley tobaccocultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr carrying introduced null mutations in three genes(CYP82E4 (SEQ ID NO: 5), CYP82E5 (SEQ ID NO: 8), and CYP82E10 (SEQ IDNO: 9)) previously documented to encode for nicotine demethylase enzymes(Lewis et al., Phytochemistry, 71 (2010), 1988-1998). The introducedmutations in CYP82E4 (cyp82e4 W329Stop (SEQ ID NO: 1)) and CYP82E5(cyp82e5v2 W422Stop (SEQ ID NO: 2)) encode for premature stop codonswhich render the genes non-functional. The introduced mutation inCYP82E10 (cyp82e10 P381S (SEQ ID NO: 11)) does not encode for apremature stop codon, but does render the gene product non-functionalfor converting nicotine to nornicotine (Id.). When in homozygouscondition, the three mutations result in tobacco plants with (1) reducedgenetic capacity to demethylate nicotine to form nornicotine, and (2) acorresponding diminished potential to accumulate N-nitrosonornicotine(NNN), a potent carcinogen found in many tobacco products. The mutationin CYP82E4 (cyp82e4 W329Stop (SEQ ID NO: 1)) also provides phenotypicstability for the “nicotine conversion” trait and eliminates therequirement to utilize the cumbersome “LC” method for reducing levels ofnornicotine in tobacco cultivars (see e.g., Jack et al. 2007.Implications of reducing nornicotine accumulation in burley tobacco:appendix A—the LC protocol. Rec. Adv. Tob. Sci. 33: 58-79).

The original tobacco cultivar NC645 Bmr/Bmr is a fertile inbred line. Todevelop NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, an individual plant of NC645 Bmr/Bmr isinitially pollinated with a plant of the genetic background DH98-325-6carrying mutations in each of the three nicotine demethylase genes. F₁individuals originating from this cross and heterozygous for eachmutation are backcrossed to the recurrent parent, NC645 Bmr/Bmr, toproduce BC₁F₁ progeny. BC₁F₁ progeny are screened using genotypingmethodologies to identify individuals heterozygous for all threemutations. A single triple heterozygous BC₁F₁ plant is backcrossed toNC645 Bmr/Bmr to produce BC₂F₁ progeny. The process of backcrossing andidentification of individuals heterozygous for all three mutations isrepeated through the BC₃F₁, BC₄F₁, BC₅F₁, BC₆F₁, and BC₇F₁ stages. Atthe BC₇F₁ stage, individuals heterozygous for all three mutations fromeach pedigree are self-pollinated to produce BC₇F₂ seed. A large numberof BC₇F₂ progeny from each pedigree are genotyped to identifyindividuals homozygous for all three mutations. A single BC₇F₂ planthomozygous for all three mutations is self-pollinated to produce a BC₇F₃family (NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC) in which the wild-type CYP82E4, CYP82E5v2,and CYP82E10 alleles of NC645 Bmr/Bmr were replaced by the mutantalleles (cyp82e4 W329Stop, cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S).

Example 11 Testing of NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC

NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC is evaluated for cured leaf chemistry, yield, andphysical quality at two North Carolina field research locations during2013 (Reidsville and Waynesville). NC645 is included for comparison. Theexperimental design at each location is a randomized complete blockdesign with four replications. Experimental units are single 20-plantplots. Plots are harvested and air-cured. Plot weights are used todetermine per acre yields. Cured leaf is evaluated by a former USDAtobacco grader. Fifty gram composite leaf samples are collected fromeach plot and analyzed for percent nicotine, nornicotine, anatabine,anabasine, and percent nicotine conversion using gas chromatographyequipment.

Comparisons using the least significant difference (LSD) test indicatedthat NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC has significantly (P<0.05) lower levels ofnornicotine and percent nicotine conversion relative to NC645 (Table 1).NC645 and NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC are not significantly different from eachother for percent nicotine, yield, or cured leaf quality indices.

Example 12 Breeding of Homozygous cyp82e4 W329Stop, the cyp82e5v2W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S Mutant Plants into the NC 8 Burley TobaccoCultivar

Hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC is a hybrid generated by pollinating plants ofa male-sterile breeding line CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC with pollen producedby fertile breeding line NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC with each breeding linecarrying introduced deleterious mutations in three genes (CYP82E4 (SEQID NO: 5), CYP82E5 (SEQ ID NO: 8), and CYP82E10 (SEQ ID NO: 9))previously documented to encode for nicotine demethylase enzymes (Lewiset al., Phytochemistry, 71 (2010), 1988-1998). The introduced mutationsin CYP82E4 (cyp82e4 W329Stop (SEQ ID NO: 1)) and CYP82E5 (cyp82e5v2W422Stop (SEQ ID NO: 2)) encode for premature stop codons which renderthe genes non-functional. The introduced mutation in CYP82E10 (cyp82e10P381S (SEQ ID NO: 11)) does not encode for a premature stop codon, butdoes render the gene product non-functional for converting nicotine tonornicotine (Id.). When in homozygous condition, the three mutationsresult in tobacco plants with (1) reduced genetic capacity todemethylate nicotine to form nornicotine, and (2) a correspondingdiminished potential to accumulate N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), a potentcarcinogen found in many tobacco products. The mutation in CYP82E4(cyp82e4 W329Stop (SEQ ID NO: 1)) also provides phenotypic stability forthe “nicotine conversion” trait and eliminates the requirement toutilize the cumbersome “LC” method for reducing levels of nornicotine intobacco cultivars (see e.g., Jack et al. 2007. Implications of reducingnornicotine accumulation in burley tobacco: appendix A—the LC protocol.Rec. Adv. Tob. Sci. 33: 58-79).

To develop hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC, individual plants of fertile NC775Bmr/Bmr are first pollinated with a plant of the genetic backgroundDH98-325-6 carrying mutations in each of the three nicotine demethylasegenes. F₁ individuals originating from each cross and heterozygous foreach mutation are backcrossed to the recurrent parent (NC775 Bmr/Bmr) toproduce BC₁F₁ progenies.

BC₁F₁ progenies are screened using genotyping methodologies to identifyindividuals heterozygous for all three mutations. A single BC₁F₁ plantfrom each pedigree is backcrossed to NC775 Bmr/Bmr, to produce BC₂F₁progenies. The process of backcrossing and identification of individualsheterozygous for all three mutations is repeated through the BC₃F₁,BC₄F₁, BC₅F₁, BC₆F₁, and BC₇F₁ stages. At the BC₇F₁ stage, individualsheterozygous for all three mutations from each pedigree areself-pollinated to produce BC₇F₂ seed. A large number of BC₇F₂ progenyfrom each pedigree are genotyped to identify individuals homozygous forall three mutations. BC₇F₂ plants homozygous for all three mutations areself-pollinated to produce BC₇F₃ families (NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC) in whichthe wild-type CYP82E4, CYP82E5v2, and CYP82E10 alleles of NC775 Bmr/Bmrare replaced by the mutant alleles (cyp82e4 W329Stop, cyp82e5v2W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S).

The female parental line of NC775 Bmr/Bmr, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr, iscytoplasmic male sterile which causes pollen to not be produced. Todevelop CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, a plant of CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr is crossedwith NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC to produce male-sterile plants heterozygous forall three mutations. A single male-sterile plant resulting from thiscross is backcrossed as a female to NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC to produce progenythat are segregating for individuals homozygous for all three mutations.Triple homozygous individuals are identified by DNA genotyping toproduce the CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC line. Because the line ismale-sterile, it is maintained via pollination with NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC(see above).

Hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC is produced by pollinating plants of CMS NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC with pollen of NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC.

Example 13 Testing of Hybrid Cultivar NC 8 SRC

Hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC is evaluated for cured leaf chemistry, yield,and physical quality at two North Carolina field research locationsduring 2013 (Reidsville and Waynesville). The experimental design ateach location is a randomized complete block design with fourreplications. Experimental units are single 20-plant plots. Plots areharvested and air-cured. Plot weights are used to determine per acreyields, Cured leaf is evaluated by a former USDA tobacco grader. Filfygram composite leaf samples are collected from each plot and analyzedfor percent nicotine, nornicotine, anatabine, anabasine, and percentnicotine conversion using gas chromatography equipment.

Comparisons using the least significant difference (LSD) test indicateshybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC has significantly lower levels (P<0.05) ofnornicotine and percent nicotine conversion relative to other commercialLC varieties and regular breeding lines (Table 1). NC 8 SRC are notsignificantly different relative to other commercial LC varieties andregular breeding lines for percent nicotine, yield, percent anabasine,percent anatabine, or percent total alkaloids.

TABLE 1 Entry means for experiment EX13-158 entries evaluated in two2013 North Carolina environments (Reidsville and Waynesville). TotalNicotine Yield Nicotine Nornicotine Anabasine Anatabine AlkaloidsConversion Variety (lbs/A) Grade Index (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) NC 1741769 65.2 2.180 0.061 0.012 0.167 2.420 2.689 NC 174 SRC 1489 67.71.606* 0.013* 0.010 0.117* 1.746 0.826* NC821-11 1671 66.6 1.708 0.0450.012 0.241 2.005 2.658 NC821-11 SRC 1588 66.5 1.535 0.013* 0.010 0.170*1.728 0.803* NC 2000LC 1750 71.5 2.651 0.076 0.015 0.230 2.973 2.834 NC2000 SRC 1652 68.9 2.914 0.021* 0.017 0.238 3.191 0.705* NC 2002LC 172271.9 2.143 0.091 0.014 0.191 2.439 4.280 NC 2002 SRC 1596 69.0 1.8560.015* 0.009* 0.127* 2.007 0.788* NC 5LC 1769 65.7 1.575 0.123 0.0110.170 1.879 7.363 NC 5 SRC 1897 66.5 1.701 0.014* 0.010 0.155 1.8800.781* NC 645 1919 72.9 2.134 0.078 0.012 0.177 2.402 3.226 NC645 BmrBmrSRC 1748 72.1 2.717 0.024* 0.014 0.225 2.980 0.892* NC 775 1741 69.21.938 0.123 0.012 0.151 2.224 6.004 NC 775 BmrBmr SRC 1805 69.3 2.0080.014* 0.011 0.156 2.189 0.716* NC 8 SRC 1845 69.3 2.432 0.020* 0.0130.191 2.657 0.857* Ky 14LC 1847 68.0 1.833 0.043 0.012 0.156 2.044 2.216VA 509LC 1756 69.8 2.145 0.079 0.013 0.167 2.404 3.642 NC 174 is afertile burley inbred variety. NC 174 SRC is a backcross-derived versionof NC 174 carrying introduced mutations in three genes (cyp82e4W329Stop, cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S). NC821-11 is a fertileburley inbred variety. NC821-11 SRC is a backcross-derived version ofNC821-11 carrying introduced mutations in three genes (cyp82e4 W329Stop,cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S). NC 2000LC is a LC-selectedfertile burley inbred variety NC 2000. NC 2000 SRC is abackcross-derived version of NC 2000 carrying introduced mutations inthree genes (cyp82e4 W329Stop, cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S).NC 2002LC is a LC-selected fertile burley inbred variety NC 2002. NC2002 SRC is a backcross-derived version of NC 2002 carrying introducedmutations in three genes (cyp82e4 W329Stop, cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, andcyp82e10 P381S). Tobacco cultivar NC 5LC is a hybrid generated bypollinating plants of a male-sterile breeding line CMS NC174 with pollenproduced by fertile breeding line NC821-11. Tobacco cultivar NC 5 SRC isa hybrid generated by pollinating plants of a male-sterile breeding lineCMS NC174 SRC with pollen produced by fertile breeding line NC821-11SRC. NC 645 is a fertile burley inbred variety. NC645 BmrBmr SRC is abackcross-derived version of NC645 carrying introduced mutations inthree genes (cyp82e4 W329Stop, cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, and cyp82e10 P381S)and homozygous for an introduced major blue mold resistance genedesignated as Bmr. NC 775 is a fertile burley inbred variety. NC775BmrBmr SRC is a backcross-derived version of NC775 carrying introducedmutations in three genes (cyp82e4 W329Stop, cyp82e5v2 W422Stop, andcyp82e10 P381S) and homozygous for an introduced major blue moldresistance gene designated as Bmr. Hybrid cultivar NC 8 SRC is producedby pollinating plants of CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC with pollen of NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC. KY 14LC and VA 509LC are LC-selected burley tobaccovarieties KY 14 and VA 509, respectively. *Indicates significantlydifferent (P < 0.05) from the nearly isogenic LC variety or regularbreeding line. Significance tests are based upon log transformed valuedfor % nicotine, % nornicotine, % anabasine, % anatabine, and % nicotineconversion. Significance tests are based upon non-transformed values forthe remainder of the measured characteristics.

DEPOSIT INFORMATION

A deposit of the proprietary inbred plant lines disclosed above andrecited in the appended claims have been made with American Type CultureCollection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110. Thedate of deposit for NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, andNC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC 5 SRC, and NC 8 SRC was Feb. 26, 2014. The date ofdeposit for CMS NC174 SRC and CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC was Mar. 7, 2014.The deposits of 2500 seeds for each variety was taken from the samedeposits maintained since prior to the filing date of this application.Upon issuance of a patent, all restrictions upon the deposits will beremoved, and the deposits are intended to meet all of the requirementsof 37 C.F.R. §1.801-1.809. The ATCC has issued the following accessionnumbers: PTA-121048 for NC174 SRC, PTA-121069 for CMS NC174 SRC, andPTA-121050 for NC821-11 SRC, PTA-121046 for NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC,PTA-121071 for CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, PTA-121056 for NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC,PTA-121057 for NC 5 SRC and PTA-121047 for NC 8 SRC. These deposits willbe maintained in the depository for a period of 30 years, or 5 yearsafter the last request, or for the effective life of the patent,whichever is longer, and will be replaced as necessary during thatperiod. Applicants do not waive any infringement of their rights grantedunder this patent or under the Plant Variety Protection Act (7 U.S.C.2321 et seq.).

What is claimed is:
 1. Cured tobacco or a tobacco product preparedtherefrom, wherein said cured tobacco is from a tobacco plant, or partthereof, of a hybrid, a cultivar, or a progeny hybrid produced from saidcultivar, wherein said hybrid is NC 5 SRC or NC 8 SRC, wherein saidcultivar is selected from the group consisting of NC174 SRC, CMS NC174SRC, NC821-11 SRC, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, and NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC; and wherein representative sample seeds of said NC174 SRC,CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC,NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC 5 SRC and NC 8 SRC have been deposited with theATCC with the following ATCC Accession Nos.: PTA-121048 for NC174 SRC,PTA-121069 for CMS NC174 SRC, and PTA-121050 for NC821-11 SRC,PTA-121046 for NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, PTA-121071 for CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC,PTA-121056 for NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, PTA-121057 for NC 5 SRC and PTA-121047for NC 8 SRC.
 2. The tobacco product of claim 1, wherein said tobaccoproduct is selected from the group consisting of a pipe tobacco, a cigartobacco, a cigarette tobacco, a chewing tobacco, a leaf tobacco, ashredded tobacco, and a cut tobacco.
 3. The tobacco product of claim 1,wherein said tobacco product is selected from the group consisting of acigarillo, a non-ventilated recess filter cigarette, a vented recessfilter cigarette, a cigar, snuff, and a chewing tobacco.
 4. The tobaccoproduct of claim 3, wherein said tobacco product has an amount ofnornicotine of less than about 3 mg/g.
 5. The tobacco product of claim4, wherein said amount of nicotine is selected from the group consistingof 3.0 mg/g, 2.5 mg/g, 2.0 mg/g, 1.5 mg/g, 1.0 mg/g, 750 μg/g, 500 pg/g,250 pg/g, 100 pg/g, 75 pg/g, 50 pg/g, 25 pg/g, 10 pg/g, 7.0 pg/g, 5.0pg/g, 4.0 pg/g, 2.0 pg/g, 1.0 pg/g, 0.5 pg/g, 0.4 pg/g, 0.2 pg/g, 0.1pg/g, 0.05 pg/g, 0.01 pg/g, and undetectable.
 6. The tobacco product ofclaim 3, wherein said tobacco product has an amount ofN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) of less than about 10 pg/g.
 7. The tobaccoproduct of claim 6, wherein said amount of NNN is selected from thegroup consisting of 10 pg/g, 7.0 pg/g, 5.0 pg/g, 4.0 pg/g, 2.0 pg/g, 1.0pg/g, 0.5 pg/g, 0.4 pg/g, 0.2 pg/g, 0.1 pg/g, 0.05 pg/g, 0.01 pg/g, andundetectable.
 8. The tobacco product of claim 1, wherein said curedtobacco is at least about 5% by dry weight of the total tobacco materialin said tobacco product.
 9. The tobacco product of claim 8, wherein saidcured tobacco has a dry weight percentage of said total tobacco materialselected from the group consisting of at least about 10%, at least about20%, at least about 30%, at least about 40%, at least about 50%, atleast about 60%, at least about 70%, at least about 80%, at least about90%, and at least about 95%.
 10. A method of producing a tobaccoproduct, comprising: a. providing cured tobacco from a tobacco plant, orpart thereof, of a hybrid, a cultivar, or a hybrid produced from saidcultivar; wherein said hybrid is NC 5 SRC or NC 8 SRC, wherein saidcultivar is selected from the group consisting of NC174 SRC, CMS NC174SRC, NC821-11 SRC, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, and NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC; and b. preparing a tobacco product from said cured tobacco,wherein representative sample seeds of said NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC,NC821-11 SRC, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/BmrSRC, NC 5 SRC and NC 8 SRC have been deposited with the ATCC with thefollowing ATCC Accession Nos.: PTA-121048 for NC174 SRC, PTA-121069 forCMS NC174 SRC, and PTA-121050 for NC821-11 SRC, PTA-121046 for NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, PTA-121071 for CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, PTA-121056 for NC645Bmr/Bmr SRC, PTA-121057 for NC 5 SRC and PTA-121047 for NC 8 SRC.
 11. Aseed of tobacco cultivar or hybrid selected from the group consisting ofNC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11 SRC, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC 5 SRC and NC 8 SRC, whereinrepresentative sample seeds of said NC174 SRC, CMS NC174 SRC, NC821-11SRC, NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC, NC 5SRC and NC 8 SRC have been deposited with the ATCC with the followingATCC Accession Nos.: PTA-121048 for NC174 SRC, PTA-121069 for CMS NC174SRC, and PTA-121050 for NC821-11 SRC, PTA-121046 for NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC,PTA-121071 for CMS NC775 Bmr/Bmr SRC, PTA-121056 for NC645 Bmr/Bmr SRC,PTA-121057 for NC 5 SRC and PTA-121047 for NC 8 SRC.
 12. A tobaccoplant, or part thereof, produced from said seed of claim
 11. 13. Thepart of the plant of claim 12, wherein said part is selected from thegroup consisting of a harvested leaf, a pollen, an ovule, an embryo, acotyledon, a hypocotyl, a meristematic cell, a protoplast, a root, aroot tip, a pistil, an anther, a flower, a shoot, a stem, a pod, apetiole, and combinations thereof.
 14. A harvested leaf of said tobaccoplant of claim
 12. 15. The harvested leaf of claim 14, wherein said leafhas a reduced amount of nornicotine and/or N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).16. The harvested leaf of claim 15, wherein said reduced amount ofnornicotine and/or N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) is reduced in a smokestream produced from said leaf.